presage 1 of 2

noun

ˈpre-sij How to pronounce presage (audio)
Definition of presagenext
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

presage

2 of 2

verb

ˈpre-sij How to pronounce presage (audio)
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
Noun
In a presage of a confessional media environment still far in the future, Peters’ struggles with weight were part of her public persona—and, as with Oprah Winfrey and Weight Watchers founder Jean Nidetch, key to her business pitch. — Michelle Stacey, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 May 2024 The ominous warning presages the societal problems that ensue when consanguinity is widespread. — Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 19 Nov. 2019
Verb
State of play: Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer and Council President Blaine Griffin went at each other in public remarks, presaging what could be a larger ideological battle about the new ward map. — Sam Allard, Axios, 26 Nov. 2024 Indeed, opposition to elements of the American System was one of the chief policy goals of early Democratic politicians such as Andrew Jackson, and fights over the system presaged later sectional fights leading up to the Civil War. — Erik Guzik / The Conversation, Quartz, 4 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for presage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presage
  1. feel
  2. forerunner
  3. predict
  4. premonition
  5. precursor
  6. fear
  7. portent
  8. worry
Noun
  • Their frequent appearances conjure an intimate feel, like gaming and smoking with your friends during an all-night session.
    — Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Here, oversized glass and metal pendants paired with black accents and industrial finishes gives the rustic kitchen a distinctly modern feel.
    — Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of feel
Noun
  • The notable feature of this particular death factory was its use of gas vans, a forerunner to the larger, more impersonal gas chambers built at Auschwitz-Birkenau, Belzec, Sobibor, and Treblinka.
    — Josh Weiss, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • In 1914, Frank Newman opened the Royal Theatre which was a forerunner to movie palaces in the city, a significant departure from nickelodeons.
    — Michael Wells, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of forerunner
Verb
  • In the first two months of the year, core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as food and energy, is estimated to have risen by just 0.3%, Macquarie’s Hu said, predicting that this would mark the longest deflationary streak since 1993.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Over the winter, The Athletic predicted a 2-year, $26 million deal for Verdugo.
    — Dan Freedman, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of predict
Noun
  • But his coach had a premonition that his run for a title could happen.
    — Steve Gorches, Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2025
  • The movie’s terrifying dénouement emerges in another seven-minute shot, in which hints and premonitions are transformed into passions and horrors and in which landscape—and, as per the title, a seascape—appear not simply as backdrops but as dramatic and intellectual engines of the story.
    — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2025
Definition of premonition
Noun
  • Such certificates are often pursued after a conviction has been vacated and as a precursor to a lawsuit.
    — Madeline Buckley, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025
  • For example, tryptophan is precursor to serotonin, the body’s feel-good chemical.
    — Fiona Embleton, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of precursor
Noun
  • This tactic mirrors the value of having a creative partner who’s never afraid to toss out a left-field suggestion because, unlike humans, AI has no ego or fear of embarrassment.
    — Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • The bond market in recent weeks has increasingly priced in fears of slowing growth, with the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield falling to around 4.1%, down from about 4.8% in January.
    — Sarah Min,Lisa Kailai Han,Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of fear
Noun
  • Weinstein’s thuggish joke was just one portent of the edgy, borderline sinister air that permeated the party from the very beginning.
    — Scott Huver, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025
  • The natural threat of the caterpillars has shown up in cultural expressions as a symbolic portent of human mortality, Battisti points out.
    — Ivan Amato, Scientific American, 30 Jan. 2025
Definition of portent
Noun
  • Trade tensions and signs of slowing growth have led to worries that a recession could be looming.
    — Auzinea Bacon, CNN, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Those worries were only amplified by his State of the Union speech.
    — Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of worry

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Cite this Entry

“Presage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presage. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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