portend

American  

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

verb (used with object)

1. to indicate in advance; to foreshadow or presage, as an omen does.

   The street incident may portend a general uprising.

   Synonyms:

   forebode, betoken, augur, forecast, foretell

2. to signify; mean.

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portend British  

/ pɔːˈtɛnd /

verb

1. to give warning of; predict or foreshadow

2. obsolete to indicate or signify; mean

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Other Word Forms

• unportended adjective

Etymology

Origin of portend

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin portendere “to point out, indicate, portend,” variant of prōtendere “to extend”; pro- ¹, tend ¹

Example Sentences

Yet the reticence from car buyers toward the end of last year portend a potentially volatile year marked by uncertainty around tariffs and the broader economy.

From The Wall Street Journal

But if they fail, it portends an epic flop.

From Salon

"However, we still are dealing with the legacy of 150 years of fire suppression. Together, drying conditions and overly dense fuels portend a challenging and more fiery future."

From Science Daily

In “Weapons,” its eerie harmonic movement portends an innocence soon to be lost.

From Los Angeles Times

Early in the second half, there had been one stretch that seemed to portend a different ending.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• augur
• bespeak
• foretell
• predict
• presage