Premonition vs. Foreboding — What's the Difference?
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By Tayyaba Rehman — Published on October 20, 2023
Premonition is a feeling or intuition of a future event, while foreboding is a strong inner feeling of future misfortune or evil.
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Difference Between Premonition and Foreboding
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Key Differences
Lastly, when considering the origins of these feelings, a premonition might arise seemingly out of nowhere, like a fleeting thought or dream. Foreboding, on the other hand, often emerges from our observations, experiences, or external cues that indicate potential danger or negativity ahead.
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Tayyaba Rehman
Oct 20, 2023
Diving deeper into the word premonition, it often has neutral or even positive connotations. While many might associate it with a bad feeling about the future, a premonition can also be a positive anticipation or expectation of future events. Conversely, foreboding is almost exclusively negative, conveying a sense of dread or apprehension about what lies ahead.
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Oct 20, 2023
Premonition and foreboding are terms often used interchangeably to describe feelings about future events. However, they differ in both origin and specificity. Premonition typically refers to a specific intuition or sensation about a future occurrence, often without any concrete basis. On the other hand, foreboding is a more generalized feeling of impending doom or misfortune, without the clarity of what might specifically occur.
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Oct 20, 2023
Another distinction between premonition and foreboding is their degree of certainty. A premonition is an inkling or intuition that something will happen. It's a subtle inner voice or gut feeling. Foreboding, however, is more intense. It's a strong inner conviction or sensation, almost an undeniable knowledge that something adverse is on the horizon.
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Oct 20, 2023
Comparison Chart
Basic Definition
Intuition or sensation of a future event
Strong inner feeling of future misfortune
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Degree of Certainty
An inkling or intuition
Strong inner conviction or sensation
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Specificity
May or may not be specific about the event
General sense of impending doom
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Origins
Can arise spontaneously, like from a dream
Often emerges from external cues or observations
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Definitions
Premonition
A feeling or anticipation about a specific future event.
A sudden premonition warned him to be cautious on his journey.
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Foreboding
An ominous prediction or presentiment of upcoming evil.
Dark clouds gave a foreboding of the approaching storm.
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Premonition
An inexplicable awareness of what is yet to come.
Jane's premonition about the storm proved accurate.
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Foreboding
A prediction or sign indicating trouble.
The owl's cry was seen as a foreboding by the villagers.
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Premonition
A sensation about the future without concrete evidence.
Her premonition about the surprise party turned out to be right.
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Foreboding
A feeling of anxiety about future developments.
The quietness of the night filled him with foreboding.
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Premonition
An intuition of a future occurrence.
Lisa had a premonition that she would receive a promotion.
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Foreboding
A strong inner feeling of impending misfortune.
A sense of foreboding overcame her as she entered the abandoned house.
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Premonition
A forewarning or advance notice based on instinct.
Before the phone rang, he had a premonition of who it might be.
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Premonition
A presentiment of the future; a foreboding
I had a premonition that our risky endeavor would end badly.
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Premonition
A warning in advance; a forewarning
That skirmish was a premonition of battles to come.
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Premonition
A clairvoyant or clairaudient experience, such as a dream, which resonates with some event in the future.
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Premonition
A strong intuition that something is about to happen (usually something negative, but not exclusively).
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Premonition
Previous warning, notice, or information; forewarning; as, a premonition of danger.
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Foreboding
Of ominous significance; serving as an ill omen; foretelling of harm or difficulty.
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Premonition
A feeling of evil to come;
A steadily escalating sense of foreboding
The lawyer had a presentiment that the judge would dismiss the case
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Foreboding
A feeling of evil to come;
A steadily escalating sense of foreboding
The lawyer had a presentiment that the judge would dismiss the case
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Foreboding
A sense of impending doom or apprehension.
The sudden temperature drop gave everyone a foreboding of what was to come.
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FAQs
Is premonition always negative?
No, a premonition can be neutral or even positive, indicating any future event.
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Can a premonition be based on evidence?
Typically, a premonition arises from intuition without concrete evidence.
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What's the main sentiment behind foreboding?
Foreboding conveys a sense of dread or apprehension about the future.
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How can you differentiate between a premonition and a random thought?
A premonition often has a strong intuitive feeling about a specific future event, whereas random thoughts may not.
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Can you ignore a premonition?
While possible to ignore, many people heed premonitions as warnings or guidance.
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How strong is the feeling of foreboding?
Foreboding is often a strong and intense feeling of impending misfortune.
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Is it common to experience foreboding?
Many people experience forebodings occasionally, especially in situations perceived as threatening.
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Can dreams be considered premonitions?
Dreams might be viewed as premonitions if they give insight into future events.
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Is foreboding based on intuition?
Foreboding can be based on intuition or external cues signaling potential danger.
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Are forebodings always accurate?
No, forebodings are feelings and may not always predict actual outcomes.
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Can external events trigger a foreboding?
Yes, observations or external cues often lead to feelings of foreboding.
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Can someone train themselves to have premonitions?
While intuition can be honed, deliberately inducing genuine premonitions isn't proven.
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Tayyaba Rehman
Oct 20, 2023
Author Spotlight
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.