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GRE vocabulary

portend

verbHigh-frequency wordMore P words

to be a sign or warning that something is about to happen

Word origin: From Latin portendere, to foretell.

In a sentence

Portend in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing portend in a sentence.

The darkening clouds seemed to portend a violent storm.

The sudden drop in bee populations may portend wider damage to the region's agriculture.

Synonyms
Antonyms

None listed.

Usage & nuance

Using “portend” well

Portend means to serve as a warning sign of a future event, usually an ominous one. Distinguish it from pretend, an unrelated look-alike.

Common questions

Questions about “portend

Portend (verb) means to be a sign or warning that something is about to happen
Here is portend used in an example sentence: "The darkening clouds seemed to portend a violent storm." Another example: "The sudden drop in bee populations may portend wider damage to the region's agriculture."
Common synonyms for portend include foreshadow, presage, augur, forebode.
On the GRE, portend clusters with foreshadow, presage, augur, and forebode in Sentence Equivalence.
Yes. Portend is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

Learn words the way the GRE tests them.

Vocabulary sticks when you meet it in real sentences. Practise these words inside text completion and sentence equivalence questions.