verb
portend
Portend (verb) means to be a warning sign that something bad is going to happen.
verb
1
To be a warning sign that something bad is going to happen.
2
To mean or indicate something.
"How alive these poems are with the visual specifics of what he so closely observes, how full of elegance, terror and hope. They portend a poet of major craft, of deep feeling, and of fine intelligence."
— Jane Barnes, Terror and Hope (1982)
"Let it be known that the Rapture portends the End of Days."
"Margo vomits at her waitressing job without realizing what it portends."
— Sophie Gilbert, Life Isn’t Easy in the OnlyFans Economy (2026)
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Etymology
Borrowed from Latin portendere (“to foretell”), formed from por- (“forward”) plus tendere (“to stretch”).
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of portend?
"portend" (verb) means to be a warning sign that something bad is going to happen.
What is another word for portend?
Other words for "portend" include betoken, forecast, prefigure, bode, presage, foreshadow.
What are the different meanings of portend?
"portend" has 2 main meanings: 1. To be a warning sign that something bad is going to happen; 2. To mean or indicate something.
