premonition

noun

pre·​mo·​ni·​tion ˌprē-mə-ˈni-shən  ˌpre- 

1

: previous notice or warning : forewarning

2

: anticipation of an event without conscious reason : presentiment

Synonyms of premonition

• feel
• presentiment
• fear
• foreboding
• suspicion
• worry
• presage

Examples of premonition in a Sentence

She had a premonition that he would call.

she had a premonition that her cat would somehow get hurt that day

Recent Examples on the Web

At school one day, their son, Cheol, has a premonition that something has happened to his mother. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Last year, Vandermeer's premonition came true in a very personal way. — ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026

But Weiss’ premonitions about what was ahead now certainly seem prophetic at the time. — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 21 Sep. 2026

In these transitional months, everyone has their own premonitions about what trends will dominate the season ahead, but what will actually happen is pretty much anyone’s guess. — Joan Kennedy, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English premunition, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin premunition-, premunitio, alteration of Late Latin praemonitio, from Latin praemonēre to warn in advance, from prae- + monēre to warn — more at mind

First Known Use

1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for premonition

• abolition
• acquisition
• admonition
• ammunition
• apparition
• apposition
• coalition
• competition
• composition
• definition
• deglutition
• demolition

Kids Definition

premonition

noun

pre·​mo·​ni·​tion ˌprē-mə-ˈnish-ən  ˌprem-ə- 

: a feeling that something is going to happen

a premonition of disaster

premonitory

pri-ˈmän-ə-ˌtōr-ē, 

-ˌtȯr-

adjective