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

So what does this portend for the future of American politics?

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026

U.S. stocks were flirting with a critical threshold on Wednesday that, if broken, could portend another 10% drop for the S&P 500, according to one technical analyst.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

Does this Super Bowl’s record-breaking A.I. ad splurge also portend a coming pop?

From Slate • Feb. 8, 2026

His insistence that no one is safe until everyone is safe, can seem to portend a future in which no one will ever be safe, though as a teacher I assume he’s more sanguine.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026

The Greeks had an old saying, too: “Red beard and blue eyes portend the Devil.”

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• augur
• bespeak
• foretell
• predict
• presage