Definitions

portend

[pawr-tend, pohr-] / pɔrˈtɛnd, poʊr- /

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.

This could well become a major issue in the years ahead as demographic patterns portend a long period of tight U.S. labor markets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

That doesn’t portend an imminent crash, but it does raise the question how long a rally supported by just a handful of stocks can really last.

From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026

Signs pointed to another U.S. military buildup in the region this week that could portend a fresh round of fighting.

From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2026

So what does this portend for the future of American politics?

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026

The Greeks had an old saying, too: “Red beard and blue eyes portend the Devil.”

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Vocabulary lists containing portend

Grade 11, List 2

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"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" by Frederick Douglass

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Chains

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