1
as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
a red sky in the morning can be a portent of a coming storm
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2
as in miracle
something extraordinary or surprising
a scout was sent to have a look at this teenage pitcher who was supposed to be the latest portent of the baseball world
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of portent
Even though Goldwater lost in a landslide to Johnson, his RNC convention turned out to be a portent of the emerging temperament and rhetoric that now is a central part of Republican politics.
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Charles J. Holden / Made By History, TIME, 17 July 2024
Yet Keener and other marine researchers aren’t sure if the animals’ presence is a sign of ecosystem health and rejuvenation or a portent of planetary disaster.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2024
Still, the consequences of any presidential election – not to mention the drama and portents of this particular election – compel the attention of voters and media alike.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 22 June 2024
But any such plan seems a portent of greater catastrophe.
—Bernard Avishai, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for portent 
Charles J. Holden / Made By History, TIME, 17 July 2024
Yet Keener and other marine researchers aren’t sure if the animals’ presence is a sign of ecosystem health and rejuvenation or a portent of planetary disaster.
—Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2024
Still, the consequences of any presidential election – not to mention the drama and portents of this particular election – compel the attention of voters and media alike.
—Ron Elving, NPR, 22 June 2024
But any such plan seems a portent of greater catastrophe.
—Bernard Avishai, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for portent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portent
Noun
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Embrace change, become a forerunner and refuse to let emotional interference deter productivity.Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 28 Oct. 2024
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Some Latin American nations are now even forerunners in the global struggle for LGBT equality.Omar G. Encarnación, Foreign Affairs, 11 Jan. 2016
Noun
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The miracle transformation that was expected with the influx of veteran talent hasn’t quite transpired through 10 games.Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2024
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Think of these as the stylist’s version of miracle working—breathing life back into distressed strands in a few applications.Iman Balagam, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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From the outset of its 1819 voyage, its crew faced difficulties—or, to a superstitious 19th-century sailor, bad omens.Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024
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Poe’s great, terrifying symbol, an emblem of lost wandering, absent compassion, and frightful omens, evoked Noah and the Ark and real-life apocalypse.Armond White, National Review, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Hurricanes and other angry mother nature phenomena are not in any way God’s judgment on victims.Walt Shelton, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
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These aren't injury victims but rather the latest participants in a booming medical tourism phenomenon.Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Disney is already planning to launch a standalone subscription streaming service featuring all of ESPN next year that may be a precursor to a spinoff of the sports giant.David Bloom, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
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The move into Selfridges is a precursor to a broader global expansion effort.James Manso, WWD, 20 Nov. 2024
Noun
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That’s part of the Dune trap — moviegoers for the 1984 version were greeted with a glossary of terminology — but so far, the show doesn’t have the magisterial wonder of the Villeneuve films to give it a boost.Scott Tobias, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024
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The cryptocurrency is now the eighth (most valuable) wonder of the financial world — beating out silver.Melvin Backman, Quartz, 13 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Episode writer Zachary Reiter knows exactly how to ham up the calm before the storm, warming us up with sentimental moments (like a mother preparing her son for his first date) and frisky foreshadowing (of course there’s a couple getting it on in the bathroom).Laura Bradley, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2024
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The narrative told in his recent form was the world’s most obvious foreshadowing.Gabby Herzig, The Athletic, 14 Apr. 2024
Noun
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Mughal emperor Shah Jahan contracted a marvel of architectural precision built in memory of one of his wives, Mumtaz Mahal, after her death.Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024
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Among my reflections from the rig: This is a technological marvel.Jim Cramer, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Portent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portent. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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