1
as in feel
a feeling that something bad will happen
I had a nagging presage that the results of my medical tests would not be good
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
the sight of the first robin is always a welcome presage of spring
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in to predict
to tell of or describe beforehand
people used to believe that a comet presaged a major event, such as the death of a king
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of presage
Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
There’s a kind of implicit prayer in this that the withering of today’s Hollywood system is a presage for something better, giving the entire production a painful, nostalgic quality that tugs at your chest even as what unfolds before you is remarkably dumb.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2025
Dominic Dudley, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The civil rights investigations could presage a lawsuit or lead to a loss of federal funding — which medical schools are particularly reliant on.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for presage
Noun
The result is chaos, bewilderment and delay that presages rising consumer prices.
—Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
There’s a kind of implicit prayer in this that the withering of today’s Hollywood system is a presage for something better, giving the entire production a painful, nostalgic quality that tugs at your chest even as what unfolds before you is remarkably dumb.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
If so, those same Gulf officials may welcome the recent arrival of the US Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division — a move that could presage an assault on Iranian territory.
—Dominic Dudley, semafor.com, 31 Mar. 2026
The civil rights investigations could presage a lawsuit or lead to a loss of federal funding — which medical schools are particularly reliant on.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for presage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presage
Noun
-
But candlemania has gripped the world of interior design, as many crave the soft glow and more natural feel of candlelight, and holders become the ideal vehicle for decor expression without breaking the bank (in most cases).—
Francesca Perry,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The set is made from memory foam that allows more airflow, so heat doesn’t get trapped as easily, while the breathable cover adds to that cool feel.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Hungary’s incoming premier today showed investors how austere he is compared to his forerunner.—
Jonathan Tirone,
Bloomberg,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Avs have not blown the doors off this team like many pundits predicted, given the chasm between the two clubs in the final NHL standings.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The low-pressure system was predicted to pass through Kern County and into the Los Angeles area in the afternoon, eventually making its way south to Orange County and the Inland Empire.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Peasants whisper about monsters in the forest, and in the interlude between the wars, Lajos gazes at a house that is burning down and has a premonition of the world-historical destruction to come.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Our mascot was Pablo Picasso, and Cattelan had an actor walk around with a giant Picasso mask posing for pictures in the pre-iPhone era, an early premonition of the endless selfies.—
Jerry Saltz,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The company’s example was seen by many as a portent of the AI future.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
Future Hall of Fame QBs are built to block out fear and bury doubt.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
According to some experts, this paralyzing fear and desperation are factors that scammers exploit to put their criminal schemes into action.—
Albinson Linares,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Then a guy named Jerry Harvey started Z Channel, the legendary precursor to HBO.—
Donald Liebenson,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Prices surged overnight on worries that the war will affect the flow of crude for a long time.—
Mae Anderson,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
Wall Street’s strength followed manic swings in the oil market, where prices surged overnight on worries that the Iran war will affect the flow of crude for a long time.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Presage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presage. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
