foreshadow

verb

fore·​shad·​ow fȯr-ˈsha-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce foreshadow (audio)
foreshadowed; foreshadowing; foreshadows

transitive verb

: to represent, indicate, or typify beforehand : prefigure
The hero's predicament is foreshadowed in the first chapter.
foreshadower noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lee notes that several AI companies have already indicated their ability to flag user activity that appears to foreshadow a crime. Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2025 Tellingly, these names belonged to a deceased mother and son, foreshadowing that Willa will eventually become a kind of parent to Bob. Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025 And who is the opposite force that Breezy foreshadowed? Bryan West, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Oct. 2025 In this melancholy-comic subversion of a rags-to-riches story Karl’s empathetic musings about those less fortunate immigrants foreshadow his subsequent downhill trajectory. Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foreshadow

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreshadow was in 1577

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foreshadow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreshadow. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

foreshadow

verb
fore·​shad·​ow -ˈshad-ō How to pronounce foreshadow (audio)
: to give a hint or suggestion of beforehand
foreshadower noun

More from Merriam-Webster on foreshadow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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