Meaning & use
portent
Last updated
A sign or warning that something significant, often ominous, is about to happen.
See it in a sentence
The dark clouds were seen as a portent of the storm to come.
Ancient cultures often read the flight of birds as a portent of the future.
A note on using this word
Usually carries an ominous or foreboding tone, unlike the more neutral word 'sign.'
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “portent”, then compare your use with the examples above.