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the writing on the wall

clear signs that something bad will happen

In Headline Expressions

In more detail

(idiom) a sign or warning that something bad will happen; an indication that a situation is becoming difficult or will end badly

Examples

• When the company started losing money, the writing on the wall was clear—many employees would soon be laid off.

How to use the writing on the wall

This idiom expresses a sense that trouble or failure is inevitable and visible to those paying attention. It typically appears when someone either recognizes obvious danger signs or fails to heed them. The tone is often resigned or fatalistic, suggesting that the outcome was predictable.

Common phrases

• see the writing on the wall
• the writing is on the wall
• read the writing on the wall
• ignore the writing on the wall
• the writing was on the wall

Synonyms

harbinger of doom · warning sign · portent · omen · red flag

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use this only to refer to literal written warnings rather than broader signs; it applies to any kind of visible indication that something bad is coming, not just actual text.

Nearby in Headline Expressions

the elephant in the room, a perfect storm, a double-edged sword, a tipping point, a wake-up call, in the crosshairs

Keep going

How to remember the words you read · Spaced repetition, explained