What does premonish mean?
Premonish is a rare verb meaning to foreshadow or give advance warning of something, particularly an event that is expected to be unpleasant. It is transitive: it takes the thing being foreshadowed as its object, as in “The dark clouds premonish a storm.” The verb has a formal, slightly old-fashioned tone and is much less common in contemporary usage than synonyms such as foreshadow, herald, and portend. Although the word can describe any sign that anticipates an event, it often suggests an ominous warning rather than a hopeful indication. Its vocabulary relative is premonition, a noun for an advance warning or intuition that something is about to happen. The related adjective premonitory can likewise describe something that anticipates or warns of a future event. Premonish is worth knowing chiefly as a literary alternative to the more familiar and versatile word foreshadow.
verbTo foreshadow or give advance warning of an event, especially an unwelcome one.
- To foreshadow or give advance warning of an event.
"The gathering clouds premonish a storm."
"A distant rumble premonished the approaching storm."
"The decline in sales premonished a difficult year for the company."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does premonish come from?
Premonish belongs to the English word family formed around premonition and premonitor, words ultimately associated with the Latin monēre, meaning “to warn” or “to advise.” The verb was formed with the prefix pre-, conveying the idea of indicating something before it occurs. Its individual formation is less common in modern English than the established nouns and adjectives in the same family.
Related word forms
How premonish is actually used
Premonish is very rare and sounds literary or dated. In modern English, foreshadow, herald, or portend will usually sound more natural.
Easily confused with premonish
Premonish is a transitive verb meaning “to foreshadow,” whereas premonition is a noun meaning “an advance warning or feeling that something will happen.”