omen

noun

ˈō-mən How to pronounce omen (audio)
Definition of omennext
as in portent
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event some people still believe that a black cat crossing your path is a bad omen

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of omen But the newborn son was considered a bad omen and could not attend the funeral. — ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026 On the verge of their first three-game sweep of the year, Vitello’s expedited return to the clubhouse was a bad omen for the Giants. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026 No omens, no fear—just another extraordinarily beautiful experience locked into memory. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 Aug. 2026 Black cats can be seen as bad omens, sometimes associated with witches and with the old superstition to not let a black cat cross your path. — Maddie Rhodes, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for omen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for omen
  1. portent
  2. forerunner
  3. augury
  4. prediction
  5. foreshadowing
  6. precursor
  7. presage
  8. hint
Noun
  • Eager to interpret the gods’ will—surely, stones that trailed light must hold sacred portent—the Romans consulted the Sibylline Books.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Grâce à la merveilleuse découverte de la Science Chrétienne, nos prières pour le monde sont efficaces et portent leurs fruits.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of portent
Noun
  • Dubbed the ‘American Turtle’ for its appearance, the submarine made three attempts to blow up British ships without success, but is considered the forerunner of modern submarines.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Margaret and Alice are the forerunners of Lucy and Ethel, and Shakespeare’s comedy, written expressly to entertain, gives us a sense of what an Elizabethan-era situation comedy might look like.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of forerunner
Noun
  • But the most promising augury for season two is that Widow’s Bay is old-school monster-of-the-week episodic television.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 17 June 2026
  • The rule of thumb is that if a party sees a mass exodus of its members in Congress, that’s a bad augury.
    — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 5 Sep. 2025
Definition of augury
Noun
  • On Thursday, the hurricane center cranked up the predictions for rainfall for the panhandle.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • By then, despite the predictions, Callum was walking and talking.
    — Deepa Fernandes, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of prediction
Noun
  • In a bit of foreshadowing, Lowen’s near-waist length, dark brown hair hints at Verity’s, but with golden-red highlights and thick bangs.
    — Fawnia Soo Hoo, Allure, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Back in the series premiere, the Hal-o-gram’s first words serve as cheeky foreshadowing for the big reveal that ends that episode (aka revealing Hal’s dead body).
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of foreshadowing
Noun
  • Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days (also known as October Prime Day) is here, serving as a precursor to Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
    — Cameron Faulkner, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Ng, who is Jo Henderson’s oncologist, noted that her previous research found that women who ate more ultraprocessed foods had a higher risk of colon polyps that can be precursors to cancer.
    — Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of precursor
Noun
  • Sometimes, the departure of an underperforming executive or official presages improvements ahead.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
  • But a lack of accountability presages failure for California’s big reform.
    — Rachel Canter, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of presage
Noun
  • Gone are the beer bashes, the thrill of invention and any hint that Zuckerberg lusted for something — women, attention, clout — other than a quarterly earnings report.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • However, the document didn't give any clear hints as to when exactly policymakers thought that hike could come.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of hint

Browse Nearby Words

omegas
omen
omens
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Cite this Entry

“Omen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omen. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on omen

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about omen

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