Herald — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈher-əld/ her·ald

Meaning & Definition of Herald

Herald (noun)

  1. an official at a tournament of arms with duties including the making of announcements and the marshaling of combatants
  2. an officer with the status of ambassador acting as official messenger between leaders especially in war
  3. officer of arms

Herald (verb)

  1. to give notice of, announce
  2. to greet especially with enthusiasm, hail
  3. publicize

Herald (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person who actively supports or favors a cause

    "an outspoken herald of prison reform"

    similar: advocate, advocator, apostle, backer, booster, champion, espouser, exponent, expounder, friend, gospeler, hierophant, high priest, paladin, promoter, proponent, protagonist, supporter, true believer, tub-thumper, white knight
    related: loyalist, partisan, stalwart, adherent, cohort, disciple, follower, interpreter, applauder, cheerleader, encourager, fellow traveler
    opposite: adversary, antagonist, opponent
    near: enemy, foe, rival, belittler, critic, faultfinder

  2. one that announces or indicates the later arrival of another

    "the American robin—the herald of spring in the North"

    similar: angel, foregoer, forerunner, harbinger, outrider, precursor
    related: foreboder, foreshadower, foretaste, forewarning, advertiser, announcer, blazoner, crier, proclaimer, courier, messenger, runner, augury, auspice, boding, foreboding, foreshadowing, omen, portent, prefiguring, presage, mark, sign, symptom, bellwether

Herald (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to give a slight indication of beforehand

    "the reshuffle of the company's management heralded the sweeping changes to come"

    similar: adumbrate, forerun, foreshadow, harbinger, prefigure
    related: anticipate, foreknow, foresee, forecast, foretell, predict, prognosticate, prophesy, forewarn, augur, bode, forebode, portend, presage, promise, allude, connote, hint, imply, insinuate, intimate, suggest

  2. to make known openly or publicly

    "herald the great tidings to all the world"

    similar: advertise, announce, annunciate, blare, blaze, blazon, broadcast, declare, enunciate, flash, give out, placard, post, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, release, sound, trumpet, beat the drum (for or about), run with
    related: bark, call (off or out), cry, bill, billboard, bulletin, gazette (chiefly British), knell, ring, toll, blurb, feature, pitch, plug, promote, puff, disseminate, spread, disclose, divulge, introduce, kithe (chiefly Scottish), manifest, report, reveal, show, advise, apprise, hand down, inform, notify, communicate, impart, intimate
    near: conceal, hush (up), silence, suppress, withhold, recall, recant, retract, revoke

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Herald

The most common words with a similar meaning to Herald:

advocate, advocator, apostle, backer, booster, champion, espouser, exponent, expounder, friend, gospeler, hierophant, high priest, paladin, promoter, proponent, protagonist, supporter, true believer, tub-thumper, white knight, angel, foregoer, forerunner, harbinger, outrider, precursor, adumbrate, forerun, foreshadow, prefigure, advertise, announce, annunciate, blare, blaze, blazon, broadcast, declare, enunciate

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Herald

Words with the opposite meaning of Herald:

adversary, antagonist, opponent

Related Words for Herald

loyalist, partisan, stalwart, adherent, cohort, disciple, follower, interpreter, applauder, cheerleader, encourager, fellow traveler, foreboder, foreshadower, foretaste, forewarning, advertiser, announcer, blazoner, crier, proclaimer, courier, messenger, runner, augury, auspice, boding, foreboding, foreshadowing, omen

Near Antonyms of Herald

enemy, foe, rival, belittler, critic, faultfinder, conceal, hush (up), silence, suppress, withhold, recall, recant, retract, revoke

Word Forms of Herald

Inflections: heralded, heralding, heralds

Origin & Etymology of Herald

Middle English heraud, herald, harawd, borrowed from Anglo-French heraud, herald (continental Old French nominative hirauz, oblique hyraut), borrowed from Old Low Franconian *heriwalda-, from *heri- "body of armed men" (going back to Germanic *harja-) + *-walda- "one directing or having authority," noun derivative of *waldan- "to have authority over, rule" harry, wield

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Herald

What does "Herald" mean?

"Herald" means an official at a tournament of arms with duties including the making of announcements and the marshaling of combatants. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: an official at a tournament of arms with duties including the making of announcements and the marshaling of combatants. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Herald"?

Other words for "Herald" include advocate, advocator, apostle, backer, booster, champion, espouser and exponent. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Herald" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Herald"?

There are 144 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Herald". Common alternatives include advocate, advocator, apostle, backer, booster, champion, espouser, exponent, expounder and friend.

What is the opposite of "Herald"?

Antonyms of "Herald" include adversary, antagonist and opponent. Near antonyms include enemy, foe, rival and belittler.

How do you use "Herald" in a sentence?

Examples of "Herald" in a sentence: "an outspoken herald of prison reform"; "the American robin—the herald of spring in the North"; "the reshuffle of the company's management heralded the sweeping changes to come".

Is "Herald" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Herald" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Herald"?

"Herald" is pronounced /ˈher-əld/ and divided into syllables as her·ald.

What is the origin of the word "Herald"?

"Herald" comes from Middle English heraud, herald, harawd, borrowed from Anglo-French heraud, herald (continental Old French nominative hirauz, oblique hyraut), borrowed from Old Low Franconian *heriwalda-, from *heri- "body of armed men" (going back to Germanic *harja-) + *-walda- "one directing or having authority," noun derivative of *waldan- "to have authority over, rule" harry, wield. First known use: 14th century.