portends

VERB

foreshadow, indicate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

augur bespeak foretell predict presage

STRONG

adumbrate betoken bode call forebode forecast foreshow forewarn harbinger herald hint omen prognosticate promise prophesy read threaten

WEAK

be in the cards crystal-ball foretoken have a hunch point to premonish see coming warn of

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A federal holiday often portends a long weekend for travel—or maybe just an extra day off to relax.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

If the idea was to de-ice Melania for viewers and, in turn, make them forget about the allegations against Ratner, this one-two punch in the film’s first 10 minutes only portends glorious failure.

From Salon • Feb. 1, 2026

Many small-cap investors also make a valuation-based argument for why they believe that small-cap relative strength so far this year portends something more sustainable.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026

That has left some investors worried that the rally is kicking up the kind of froth that often portends a downturn.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

The saddest heart alive Would be as careless as a lark's in June Compared to mine, if what my fear portends Proves true.

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 369, July 1846 by Various