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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of omen
Myths, legends and horror films have turned it into an omen of bad luck.
—
Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026
The number 13 has long been associated with negative omens.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
The run-in form of England midfielder Eberechi Eze at previous employers Crystal Palace (22 goals in 41 games between March and May for club and country in the past three seasons) could be another positive omen for Arteta, but timing will be paramount across the board.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
For many cultures throughout history, blood moons have served as an omen, often an ominous one.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for omen
Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 Mar. 2026
The number 13 has long been associated with negative omens.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
The run-in form of England midfielder Eberechi Eze at previous employers Crystal Palace (22 goals in 41 games between March and May for club and country in the past three seasons) could be another positive omen for Arteta, but timing will be paramount across the board.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
For many cultures throughout history, blood moons have served as an omen, often an ominous one.
—Alan Bradley, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for omen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for omen
Noun
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The company’s example was seen by many as a portent of the AI future.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
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Rather than receiving traditional care, however, Hylton was unwittingly plunged into a cold experiment in using remote work to offset hospital staffing shortages, which could be a grim portent in an age of AI automation.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Even the Hammurabi Code, a set of laws created by the sixth Babylonian king in approximately 1760 bce, established forerunners of today’s interest rate and minimum wage laws.—
Chris Roush,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 Apr. 2026
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Hungary’s incoming premier today showed investors how austere he is compared to his forerunner.—
Jonathan Tirone,
Bloomberg,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That’s a positive augury not only for the film’s impending profitability — $28 million is an above-average price tag for A24 — but also for the blockbusterdom of two of 2026’s biggest films: Pattinson and Zendaya will co-star again in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Dune: Part Three.—
Chris Lee,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2026
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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
Noun
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But while Pritzker’s actions may be read through the lens of his potential 2028 presidential ambitions, the broader issue of who can regulate prediction markets has been building for months.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Traders on the prediction market site Polymarket were giving Musk 32% odds of success as of Friday, after weeks of volatile price swings.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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His comments contained a bit of foreshadowing.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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Videos using the format typically present a normal or relatable situation, followed by the implication that something will go wrong — mirroring the foreshadowing associated with the film scene.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The micro-drama, or duanju, emerged around 2018, and became popular on Douyin, the Chinese precursor to TikTok.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
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Then a guy named Jerry Harvey started Z Channel, the legendary precursor to HBO.—
Donald Liebenson,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Sometimes, the departure of an underperforming executive or official presages improvements ahead.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
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An index of 50 is balanced and presages neither economic expansion nor contraction.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This desire to find connection in loss hints that death can often be more tangible to process than estrangement.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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The first hint of celebrity Once America became an independent nation, its hatred for the crown turned into intrigue.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Omen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/omen. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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