omen

noun

ˈō-mən How to pronounce omen (audio)
Synonyms of omen
: an occurrence or phenomenon (see phenomenon sense 1) believed to portend a future event : augury
The dark clouds were considered a bad omen.

Synonyms of omen

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Examples of omen in a Sentence

They regarded the win as a good omen for the team. omens of things to come
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While the particularly large number of closing colleges in Vermont may seem a bad omen for an effort to open a new one, Holcombe said experiencing the problem has made the state that much more focused on it. — Jon Marcus, NPR, 1 Sep. 2026 Hopefully that is not an omen for a wildly inflated price on the top models. — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 But the newborn son was considered a bad omen and could not attend the funeral. — ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026 On the verge of their first three-game sweep of the year, Vitello’s expedited return to the clubhouse was a bad omen for the Giants. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for omen

Word History

Etymology

Latin omin-, omen

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of omen was in 1582

Rhymes for omen

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Browse Nearby Words

omelet
omen
oment-
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Cite this Entry

“Omen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/omen. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

omen

noun
ˈō-mən How to pronounce omen (audio)
: a happening believed to be a sign or warning of some future event

More from Merriam-Webster on omen

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about omen

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