heralded: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, journalistic, academic
Quick answer
What does “heralded” mean?
To be announced or signaled as important or about to happen.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To be announced or signaled as important or about to happen.
To be publicly praised or acclaimed; to serve as a sign that something is coming.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or syntactic differences. Slightly more common in formal British journalism than in American, but widely used in both.
Connotations
Connotes importance, formality, and sometimes a degree of ceremony or tradition, especially in UK historical contexts.
Frequency
Moderate frequency in formal registers in both variants; slightly higher in UK press.
Grammar
How to Use “heralded” in a Sentence
[Subject] heralded [Object] (e.g., The announcement heralded a new era).[Object] be heralded as [Complement] (e.g., She was heralded as a genius).[Event] be heralded by [Signal] (e.g., Dawn was heralded by birdsong).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “heralded” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The treaty heralded a period of unprecedented peace.
- The cuckoo's call heralded the arrival of spring.
American English
- The breakthrough heralded a new age in medicine.
- Dark clouds heralded the approaching storm.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly used as an adverb.
American English
- Not commonly used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The much-heralded report was finally published last week.
- We attended the heralded premiere of the director's latest film.
American English
- The heralded software update failed to fix the major bugs.
- She is the heralded author of three bestselling novels.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used for the launch of products or major corporate changes (e.g., 'the heralded merger').
Academic
Used in historical or cultural analysis to describe significant events or shifts.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation; used for highly anticipated films, books, or public events.
Technical
Not typically used in STEM fields outside of historical/sociological contexts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “heralded”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “heralded”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “heralded”
- Using it for trivial announcements ('He heralded he was going to the shop').
- Confusing 'heralded' (past tense) with 'heraldic' (related to coats of arms).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is usually neutral but often used in positive contexts of important, welcomed announcements or arrivals. It can be used ironically for overhyped failures.
Yes, it can be used for significant negative events (e.g., 'The stock market crash heralded a long recession'), focusing on the event's significance as a precursor.
'Heralded' suggests a more formal, significant, or ceremonial announcement, often serving as a sign of something bigger to come. 'Announced' is more general and neutral.
Yes, very common in journalism and reviews to describe something that has received a lot of advance publicity or praise (e.g., 'the much-heralded new album').
To be announced or signaled as important or about to happen.
Heralded is usually formal, journalistic, academic in register.
Heralded: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɛrəldɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɛrəldɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Heralded in with great fanfare”
- “A much-heralded event”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HERALD (a medieval messenger) blowing a trumpet to ANNOUNCE important news. 'Heralded' sounds like 'herald did' – the herald did announce it.
Conceptual Metaphor
IMPORTANT EVENTS ARE ANNOUNCEMENTS (by an official messenger).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'heralded' LEAST appropriate?