warn Synonyms & Antonyms

Warn in a Sentence

We waved a flag to warn the oncoming traffic about the accident.

I phoned to warn him of the road closure.

I warned him he'd be getting a huge box of birthday presents from me.

The sheriff warned her to appear in court.

He was warned against crossing the railway tracks at night.

Don't let me catch you running in the corridor again, I warn you.

A sign warns trespassers off/away from the site.

the lifeguard warned the boys that if they continued playing so rough, someone was sure to get hurt

Word Forms & Grammar

warned

warn·ing

warns

warn·er noun

warn

warner

warners

warning

warn (third-person singular simple present warns, present participle warning, simple past and past participle warned)

Words That Rhyme With Warn

Origin of Warn

Origin 1: Middle English warnen, going back to Old English wearnian, warnian "to be on one's guard, make aware, put on one's guard," going back to West Germanic *warnōjan- (whence Middle Dutch waernen "to provide with, give notice of a danger," Old High German warnōn), probably causative derivative of Germanic *wara- "cognizant, watchful" ware:1

Origin 2: From Middle English warnen, warnien (“to warn; admonish”), from Old English warnian (“to take heed; warn”), from Proto-Germanic *warnōną (“to warn; take heed”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to be aware; give heed”). Cognate with Dutch waarnen (obsolete), German Low German warnen, German warnen, Swedish varna, Icelandic varna.

First Known Use

before 12th centuryt