warn
verb (used with object)
to give notice, advice, or intimation to (a person, group, etc.) of danger, impending evil, possible harm, or anything else unfavorable.
was warning
-
past progressiveof warn.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
The CEO, these breathless posts claimed, was warning “the period from 2025 to 2030 may be the last major chance for everyday people to build real wealth through technology.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026
The breakthrough moment came during his autism press conference, when the president repeatedly stumbled over the word acetaminophen—you know, the very drug he was warning the entire nation to avoid.
From Slate ● Sep. 26, 2025
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was warning about Max Verstappen's threat in the drivers' championship even before the Dutchman won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2025
By the next day he was warning the roughly 10 million residents of Tehran, Iran's capital, to flee in the dead of night.
From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2025
Olanna realized, then, that Mrs. Muokelu was warning her, telling her to be prepared.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
