Looking for synonyms for canary in the coal mine? We’ve got you covered!
Here’s a list of other ways to say canary in the coal mine.
- Early warning sign
- Red flag
- Alarm bell
- Harbinger
- Indicator
- Herald
- Warning signal
- Premonition
- Forewarning
- Sentinel
- Signal
- Omen
- Bellwether
- Precursor
- Portent
- Foretaste
- Augury
- Prognostic
- Forerunner
- Warning beacon
Want to learn how to say canary in the coal mine professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.
1. Early Warning Sign
Appropriate Usage: Indicates an initial indication of potential trouble or danger in a situation.
Example: “The sudden drop in sales was an early warning sign of the market’s volatility.”
2. Red Flag
Appropriate Usage: Used to point out a warning or caution, often indicating a reason to stop or reconsider.
Example: “The discrepancies in the financial report raised a red flag for the auditors.”
3. Alarm Bell
Appropriate Usage: Suggests a cause for concern, alerting to a potential problem.
Example: “The decline in product quality rang alarm bells for the management team.”
4. Harbinger
Appropriate Usage: Refers to a person or thing that signals the approach of another, often used for warning of something negative.
Example: “The shrinking profit margins were a harbinger of challenging economic times ahead.”
5. Indicator
Appropriate Usage: Suitable for mentioning something that points out or reveals a certain state or condition.
Example: “Employee turnover rates are an important indicator of company morale.”
6. Herald
Appropriate Usage: Used to describe something or someone that announces or signals the approach of another.
Example: “The sudden change in market trends was a herald of the new consumer preferences.”
7. Warning Signal
Appropriate Usage: Implies a sign or indication that something potentially dangerous or undesirable is happening.
Example: “The irregularities in data security were a warning signal for potential breaches.”
8. Premonition
Appropriate Usage: Refers to a strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially something unpleasant.
Example: “There was a premonition of financial crisis in the unusual stock market fluctuations.”
9. Forewarning
Appropriate Usage: Suggests an advance warning about a future event.
Example: “The sudden drop in employee engagement served as a forewarning of potential staff departures.”
10. Sentinel
Appropriate Usage: Describes a guard or watchman, often used metaphorically to represent a warning sign.
Example: “Rising costs in production acted as a sentinel for the need to streamline operations.”
11. Signal
Appropriate Usage: Indicates a gesture, action, or sound that is used to convey information or instructions.
Example: “The decrease in market share was a clear signal to diversify the product line.”
12. Omen
Appropriate Usage: Used to refer to something that is believed to be a sign or warning of a future event.
Example: “Many in the industry saw the new regulation as an omen of increased compliance costs.”
13. Bellwether
Appropriate Usage: Indicates a leader or indicator of future trends.
Example: “The tech industry is often seen as a bellwether for broader economic shifts.”
14. Precursor
Appropriate Usage: Describes something that comes before another and may serve to indicate its approach.
Example: “The pilot project was a precursor to the company’s nationwide roll-out.”
15. Portent
Appropriate Usage: Refers to a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen.
Example: “The fluctuating exchange rates were a portent of the impending financial turmoil.”
16. Foretaste
Appropriate Usage: Suggests an advance sample or indication of something that will happen in the future.
Example: “The initial customer feedback provided a foretaste of the product’s success.”
17. Augury
Appropriate Usage: Refers to an omen or portent, a sign of what will happen in the future.
Example: “The sudden shift in consumer behavior was an augury of changing market dynamics.”
18. Prognostic
Appropriate Usage: Describes something that predicts or foretells a future event.
Example: “The economic indicators were seen as prognostic of the country’s financial future.”
19. Forerunner
Appropriate Usage: Used to describe something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone.
Example: “The successful regional campaign was a forerunner to the national marketing strategy.”
20. Warning Beacon
Appropriate Usage: Implies a signal, often a light or a fire, used to warn or guide.
Example: “The escalating regional conflicts were a warning beacon of broader geopolitical instability.”
