Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

writing-on-the-wall

idiom
/ˈraɪtɪŋ ˈɒn ðə wɔːl/
Definition
A phrase used to refer to an omen or a sign that something bad is going to happen.
Examples
  • When the company started losing clients, the writing was on the wall for its future.
  • His constant tardiness at work was the writing on the wall that he might lose his job.
Meaning
Writing on the wall suggests a clear indication or warning of inevitable failure or disaster, often when people fail to recognize the signs.
Synonyms
  • Forewarning
  • Omen
  • Sign
  • Signal