herald
Americannoun
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(formerly) a royal or official messenger, especially one representing a monarch in an ambassadorial capacity during wartime.
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a person or thing that precedes or comes before; forerunner; harbinger.
the returning swallows, those heralds of spring.
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a person or thing that proclaims or announces.
A good newspaper should be a herald of truth.
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(in the Middle Ages) an officer who arranged tournaments and other functions, announced challenges, marshaled combatants, etc., and who was later employed also to arrange processions, funerals, etc., and to regulate the use of armorial bearings.
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an official intermediate in rank between a king-of-arms and a pursuivant, in the Heralds' College in England or the Heralds' Office in Scotland.
noun
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a person who announces important news
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( as modifier )
herald angels
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literary a forerunner; harbinger
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the intermediate rank of heraldic officer, between king-of-arms and pursuivant
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(in the Middle Ages) an official at a tournament
verb
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to announce publicly
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to precede or usher in
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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heraldsimple
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heraldssimple
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have heraldedperfect
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has heraldedperfect
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am heraldingprogressive
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are heraldingprogressive
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is heraldingprogressive
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have been heraldingperfect progressive
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has been heraldingperfect progressive
Past
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heraldedsimple
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had heraldedperfect
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was heraldingprogressive
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were heraldingprogressive
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had been heraldingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of herald
1300–50; Middle English herau ( l ) d < Old French herau ( l ) t < Frankish *heriwald, equivalent to *heri army + *wald commander ( see wield). Compare name Harold
Explanation
A herald is a sign of things to come. A chilly day in October is a herald of the coming winter. Years ago, a herald was an official who announced important news to the people. This is why many newspapers today have herald in their name. Nowadays, the noun herald refers to an early indicator that something is about to happen. Herald can also be used as a verb meaning "to praise" or "to greet enthusiastically." If you've been away from home for a long time, your family might herald your return, especially if you come bearing gifts.
Vocabulary lists containing herald
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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.
See Examples For:
Some scientists have told the BBC that the auction may herald a new era in fossil collecting by the ultra-rich.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Two days after the Summer of Ludd ended, private jets and helicopters descended on Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to herald the start of the Allen & Co.
From Salon ● Jul. 13, 2026
Some European leaders say the hybrid attacks could herald a more conventional military attack in coming years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
By scrapping discs, PlayStation is positioning itself as the first console-maker to herald an end to physical media.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
Some seek him out, and the meetings and dinners that follow herald the formation of a kind of club, a society of lovers of the circus.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
The drones have upended the cycle of war: The rainy season — which runs from June till September — normally heralds a lull in the fighting.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2026
It was the biggest increase in four years, and heralds more inflation in the pipeline of the economy.
From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026
"This investment will further cement Port Talbot as a hub of the industries of the future and heralds the next chapter of jobs and investment to the area."
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026
The reorganization heralds a new era for Apple’s AI work, which has failed to keep up with rivals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 2, 2025
Unlike Melquíades' tribe, they had shown very quickly that they were not heralds of progress but purveyors of amusement.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Supervisors have heralded Measure G as a transformative move that will modernize county government and reduce the concentration of power among the board’s members.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
In the interview on Friday, she praised Zelensky as a “wartime leader” and heralded Ukraine as “an essential ally.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
In an op-ed published in Philippine media outlets Tuesday morning, Rubio heralded Washington's commitment "to freedom of navigation in Southeast Asia" while reaffirming the US defensive umbrella in the region.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
It's a tap that has proven difficult to turn off – but the Vietnamese government has heralded their recent sting operations as a success.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
Flashing sirens heralded endless emergencies, and a fleet of buses rumbled past, their doors opening and closing with a powerful hiss, throughout the night.
From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri
At least three firm were showcasing so-called agentic phones at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai this weekend -- heralding what may be to come.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
US President Donald Trump said in a social media post heralding the agreement, which he said would include the reopening of the strait to commercial shipping.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
I wrote a column shortly after, heralding Lopez’s overwhelming victory as a new era for Latino politics in Orange County, where Latinos make up a third of the population but still wield little power.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
Doctors are heralding the results as a revolution in pancreatic cancer treatment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026
He was also given a look at the enormous sign heralding the team’s fantastic achievements in the state playoffs.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
