Premonition
mediumNegative toneprem-uh-NISH-un
noun
Definition
A strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially something unpleasant
Memory hook
PRE-MONIT-ion: a warning (monere) that comes BEFORE the event - your inner alarm going off.
Word roots
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“He had a premonition that the meeting would not go well.”
“Her premonition of danger proved accurate.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“He had a ______ that the meeting would not go well.”
Show answer
premonition
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Premonition is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "foreboding" or "presentiment" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "hindsight".
Related GRE Words
foreboding
A feeling that something bad will happen; fearful apprehension
ominous
Giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen
foretoken
A sign of something to come; an omen
harbinger
A person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another
omen
An event regarded as a sign of future good or evil
trepidation
A feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen
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