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Some languages I know have separate verbs for giving good news and giving bad news about the future.

In English, we have a word that works fine for giving bad news of the future: warn. You warn about something bad that is going to happen.

But, is there a word for the opposite?

The word I am looking for is a word like "warn" but for good things. For example, "I [abc]ed him that he was going to be promoted" as opposed to "I warned him that he was going to be demoted."

In Arabic, there are the words بشَّر which means "to give good news" and انذر which means "to warn."

I found a related question but about nouns.

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  • No particular term for good news, but there are neutral terms like inform, tip off, which can apply to good or bad.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Sep 1, 2022 at 10:32
  • It's more usual to use modal toning down: You warn about something bad that is [very] likely to happen. For good things likely to happen, 'promise' often works and is, I'd say, more often used with the expectation of good. It does however often imply that the promiser is an agent in bringing about the blessing.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jun 25, 2023 at 13:46

3 Answers 3

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Herald.

verb (used with object)

  • to give news or tidings of; announce; proclaim:
    a publicity campaign to herald a new film.
  • to indicate or signal the coming of; usher in.
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  • Interesting. But, it does seem awkward to say "I heralded him a promotion."
    – The Z
    Commented Apr 4, 2022 at 2:53
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    Yeah, that does sound a bit peculiar. How about this instead. "His promotion was heralded." Better?
    – Pete
    Commented Apr 4, 2022 at 7:10
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    Too general. herald does not always introduce good news. For one example: Sudden cardiac death is defined as natural death due to cardiac causes, heralded by abrupt loss of consciousness within one hour after the onset of symptoms. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8701183
    – Anton
    Commented Apr 4, 2022 at 7:13
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    Herald is an excellent word for this. Yes, technically it can announce either good or bad but is most often used positively. The motor car heraled a new era in personal transport.
    – JuanNo
    Commented May 4, 2022 at 4:16
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While it's not strictly for future news, a common phrase for good news is 'glad tidings', according to Cambridge Dictionary

An example from the same link, "Let me be the first to give you the glad tidings."

This is not exactly in line with "warning someone". In your case, with some rephrasing you could say 'I gave him glad tidings about his promotion'

I do not think there's a verb specifically that means to give good predictions about the future.

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  • In conversation, people often say, “I’ve got some good news for you.” The verb “to tip off” is also possible, but one might tip someone off about bad news as well as good.
    – Xanne
    Commented Apr 4, 2022 at 8:05
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proclaim from M-W:

To announce officially and publicly; declare: synonym: announce. To state emphatically or authoritatively; affirm. To indicate conspicuously; make plain.

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  • But I'd say there isn't the requirement of good news (even 'herald' is suboptimal here). 'War was proclaimed.'
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Jun 25, 2023 at 9:38
  • Both Herald and Annunciation have the same religious connotation. Even Secular people have trouble articulating a deep seated emotion.
    – DelphicOracle
    Commented Jun 26, 2023 at 16:44

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