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GRE vocabulary

harbinger

nounHigh-frequency wordMore H words

something that signals or foreshadows what is to come

Word origin: From Old French herbergere, one sent ahead to arrange lodging.

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In a sentence

Harbinger in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing harbinger in a sentence.

The early crocuses are often a harbinger of spring's arrival.

The first robins were long taken as harbingers of spring.

Synonyms
heraldprecursorforerunneromen
Antonyms

None listed.

Usage & nuance

Using “harbinger” well

A harbinger is a sign or forerunner that something is about to happen. It can announce good or bad, though it often precedes something significant rather than trivial.

Common questions

Questions about “harbinger

Harbinger (noun) means something that signals or foreshadows what is to come
Here is harbinger used in an example sentence: "The early crocuses are often a harbinger of spring's arrival." Another example: "The first robins were long taken as harbingers of spring."
Common synonyms for harbinger include herald, precursor, forerunner, omen.
Clusters with herald, precursor, forerunner, and omen in Sentence Equivalence. With no standard antonym, the GRE tests it alongside these words for something that signals what is to come.
Yes. Harbinger is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

See these words the way the GRE tests them.

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