as in premonition
a feeling that something bad will happen
a nagging presentiment of danger
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of presentiment
Toni has been reluctant to let Amalie go out by herself—her bringing back a telescope seems to confirm some kind of fear, or presentiment.
—
Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024
His presentiments had been right, but all those garlic pills and pulse recordings had done nothing to save him.
—Gillian Silverman, The New Yorker, 15 July 2023
The lavishness turns quickly into horror — Godwin gives us buckets of blood unasked for in the original — and then into a presentiment of Lear on the heath.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2020
Seen from behind, men and women bundled up in heavy coats are saturated with a mute presentiment, that of people beginning to endure.
—Han Kang, Harper's magazine, 10 Feb. 2019
Those years, of course, marked respectively the peak of the frenzied optimism of the last business cycle and the first chilling presentiments of what was to come.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2019
During the 1919 scenes she is occasionally stopped in her tracks by presentiments of what’s in store around the corner.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2017
Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 21 July 2024
His presentiments had been right, but all those garlic pills and pulse recordings had done nothing to save him.
—Gillian Silverman, The New Yorker, 15 July 2023
The lavishness turns quickly into horror — Godwin gives us buckets of blood unasked for in the original — and then into a presentiment of Lear on the heath.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2020
Seen from behind, men and women bundled up in heavy coats are saturated with a mute presentiment, that of people beginning to endure.
—Han Kang, Harper's magazine, 10 Feb. 2019
Those years, of course, marked respectively the peak of the frenzied optimism of the last business cycle and the first chilling presentiments of what was to come.
—Gerard Baker, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2019
During the 1919 scenes she is occasionally stopped in her tracks by presentiments of what’s in store around the corner.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for presentiment
Noun
-
Plants a few miles away and has filled the apartment with enormous trees in ceramic pots, giving the rooms a bohemian feel.—
Lisa Boone,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2025
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Designed to give a modern feel to your entertainment setup, this TV stand is made from solid pine and comes in two different wood finishes.—
Christopher Murray,
FOXNews.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Hayes said he’s had to take a leave of absence from his job over the fear of what might happen to his family.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Apr. 2025
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The rare encounter highlights accelerating efforts by two longtime regional rivals to stabilize relations amid mounting fears of broader conflict, especially with tensions flaring across Gaza, Syria, and the Red Sea, as Washington's pressure grows on Iran's proxy in the Middle East.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
An aide to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is out on leave and ushered out of the Pentagon for suspicion of leaking.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
18 Apr. 2025
-
What To Know According to the DHS summary, officers noted eight other individuals in the vehicle and no visible luggage, prompting suspicions of human trafficking.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Bits and pieces to friends, tender moments and worries to others.—
Kristina Goetz,
USA Today,
13 Apr. 2025
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This is important because lower yields can help the economy and are the typical bond reaction during worries about economic growth.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
His artworks, which include paintings, sculptures, mixed-media assemblages, mosaics, photographs, and film, are full of mood and foreboding.—
Belinda Luscombe,
Time,
31 Mar. 2025
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Even the objective comedy of this storyline is framed with foreboding, like the water gun fight.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
9 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Presentiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/presentiment. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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