Synonyms for portent
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
1. Omen
omen, presage, foreshadow, augury, wonder, sign, prognostic, prognostication, marvel, auspice, foreboding, foretoken, prodigy dated
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
Something that portends an event about to occur, especially an unfortunate or evil event; an omen.
It was a portent of things to come.
Related words
- Word family
- portend portentous
Forms
- Plural
- portents → omens, presages, foreshadows, auguries…
Example sentences
- omen The cap cloud above Mt. Fuji is said to be a good omen.
- presage A crow's cry at midnight was said to presage death in the village.
- augury Augury is divination based on the behavior of birds.
- significance The familiar place had a new significance for her.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| portent | steady | |
| omen | rising | |
| foreshadow | steady | |
| presage | steady | |
| augury | falling | |
| significance | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- sign1, omen2
- 6 letters
- wonder2, marvel2, augury
- 7 letters
- prodigy3, presage2, auspice2
- 9 letters
- foretoken
- 10 letters
- foreboding3, prognostic, foreshadow3
- 12 letters
- significance4
- 15 letters
- prognostication5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (omen2 = 2 syllables).