Forebode: meaning, definitions and examples

This word is often used when indicating a sense of impending doom or something bad that is about to happen. It tends to have a negative connotation.

• The dark clouds forebode a storm.
• Her sudden silence forebode trouble.

It is commonly used to describe the act of stating what you think will happen in the future based on evidence or reasoning. It has a neutral tone.

• Scientists predict an increase in global temperatures.
• She can predict the outcome of football matches.

Use this when indicating the act of predicting or telling about something before it happens, usually in a neutral or more general sense.

• He could foretell the future.
• The ancient oracle could foretell events with surprising accuracy.

This word is used to indicate a sign or warning about something that will happen in the future, often something bad or unfortunate. It generally carries a formal tone.

• The early frost presaged a harsh winter.
• The strange behavior of the birds presaged an earthquake.

This is used when suggesting that something (often an event) is a sign or warning that something momentous or calamitous is likely to happen. It generally has a serious tone.

• The comet portends disaster.
• The sudden stock market fall portends economic trouble.

This word is often used when implying a sense of warning or something bad that is expected to happen. It has a negative connotation.

• The dark clouds seemed to forebode a terrible storm

This term is similar to 'premonition' but is often used to describe a vague sense of something unfortunate that's about to occur.

• He couldn't shake the presentiment that he was being watched

This word describes a strong feeling or intuition about a future event, typically an unpleasant one. It conveys a sense of forewarning.

• She had a premonition that something terrible was going to happen

Use 'omen' when referring to a sign that indicates something, either good or bad, that will happen in the future. Although it can be positive, it often carries a slightly negative implication.

• Finding a four-leaf clover is considered a good omen