writing on the wall

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.

The state’s political leaders saw the writing on the wall: With the demographic shift, the ratio of family caregivers to aging parents was set to decline from 7:1 in 2010 to 3:1 in 2050.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

“The writing on the wall suggests that, exactly as we feared years ago, this was not the way to go.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026

"I know the pain that I'm going through," she says, "and I could just see the writing on the wall that this was going to be a disaster for a lot of families and teenagers."

From BBC • Nov. 8, 2025

Everyone young, entrepreneurial and educated saw the writing on the wall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025

Flora wanted to object, but she could read the writing on the wall, or rather she could read the words that hovered above her and her father and the squirrel.

From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo