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.

That’s what the defection of his largest influencers portends.

From Salon • Apr. 10, 2026

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

But its wholesale gutting portends an even more uncertain future for talented filmmakers already struggling in the A.I. age.

From Slate • Jan. 23, 2026

The decline is good news for American consumers because cheaper crude portends lower prices for gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and heating oil.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

They are all playing with that oppressive quietness that portends big stakes.

From Conscript 2989 Experiences of a Drafted Man by Crump, Irving