foreshadow
verb
fore·shad·ow
fȯr-ˈsha-(ˌ)dō 
foreshadowed; foreshadowing; foreshadows
: to represent, indicate, or typify beforehand : prefigure
The hero's predicament is foreshadowed in the first chapter.
Examples of foreshadow in a Sentence
Her early interest in airplanes foreshadowed her later career as a pilot.
The hero's predicament is foreshadowed in the first chapter.
Recent Examples on the Web
Damon’s Tom does transform, but the actor’s aw-shucks wholesomeness in early scenes fails to persuasively foreshadow the protagonist’s violent potential.
—
Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
York, at last week’s NFL owners meeting, foreshadowed how Brock Purdy’s 2025 extension could be the largest in team history.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
But these genetic alterations may nevertheless foreshadow the future.
—Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
The most Latino neighborhood in Nevada is foreshadowing a big 2024 fight.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 21 Mar. 2024
The film’s most unsettling scenes connect Becker’s murder spree with the bloodlust of the German public, foreshadowing the Nazis’ rise to power just a few years later.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024
That foreshadowed unrest in the Senate later in the day and night.
—Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024
For the first handful of possessions, the Nuggets’ encore to a statement win foreshadowed a layer of unexpected intrigue.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2024
The unpredictability foreshadowed a disappointing NCAA Tournament for the Pac-12 as Washington State lost in the first round and Stanford fell at home in the second.
—Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024
Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
York, at last week’s NFL owners meeting, foreshadowed how Brock Purdy’s 2025 extension could be the largest in team history.
—Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 2 Apr. 2024
But these genetic alterations may nevertheless foreshadow the future.
—Apoorva Mandavilli, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
The most Latino neighborhood in Nevada is foreshadowing a big 2024 fight.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 21 Mar. 2024
The film’s most unsettling scenes connect Becker’s murder spree with the bloodlust of the German public, foreshadowing the Nazis’ rise to power just a few years later.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024
That foreshadowed unrest in the Senate later in the day and night.
—Jacob Bogage, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2024
For the first handful of possessions, the Nuggets’ encore to a statement win foreshadowed a layer of unexpected intrigue.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2024
The unpredictability foreshadowed a disappointing NCAA Tournament for the Pac-12 as Washington State lost in the first round and Stanford fell at home in the second.
—Jeff Metcalfe, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foreshadow.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1577, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near foreshadow
Cite this Entry
“Foreshadow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreshadow. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
foreshadow
verb
fore·shad·ow
-ˈshad-ō
: to give a hint or suggestion of beforehand
foreshadower
noun
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