as in to foreshadow
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the strife in Bloody Kansas in the 1850s adumbrated the civil war that would follow
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Recent Examples of adumbrate
In between, works by contemporaries complicate superficial ideas about his meteoric genius, and small, delicate drawings teem with an abundance of ideas — paintings never made, thoughts adumbrated then abandoned.
—
Philip Kennicott,
Washington Post,
18 Oct. 2019
Nothing in America’s tepid 19th-century contributions to European classical music adumbrated it; nor did the homely and sometimes hokey popular songs of Stephen Foster.
—
Heather Mac Donald,
National Review,
22 Aug. 2019
The helicopter crash, on the other hand, is a narrative dead end, merely adumbrating the portrait that Mr. Davenport will draw of Mr. Bezos as unflappable.
—
Randall Stross,
WSJ,
15 Apr. 2018
Philip Kennicott,
Washington Post,
18 Oct. 2019
Nothing in America’s tepid 19th-century contributions to European classical music adumbrated it; nor did the homely and sometimes hokey popular songs of Stephen Foster.
—
Heather Mac Donald,
National Review,
22 Aug. 2019
The helicopter crash, on the other hand, is a narrative dead end, merely adumbrating the portrait that Mr. Davenport will draw of Mr. Bezos as unflappable.
—
Randall Stross,
WSJ,
15 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adumbrate
Verb
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In retrospect, this sounds like foreshadowing … or at least a good omen.
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As Europe struggles with its latest blistering heatwave, the high temperatures foreshadow the wildfire season.
Verb
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The one-two punch of heat and humidity is anticipated to reach Eastern states by midweek, AccuWeather said, possibly lingering through the Independence Day weekend.
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Even if the architects of my building didn’t anticipate global warming, their handiwork, with some minor accommodations, has made the past week bearable.
Verb
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Other Black families tried to hold on under the new regime but ultimately found Wilmington untenable and moved north, joining a local exodus that prefigured the Great Migration.
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Over the course of one phantasmagoric evening, Robin witnesses events that prefigure the Revolutionary War.
Verb
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Susan Del Percio, a New York GOP strategist, predicted the dueling programs would excite the different constituencies of the two leaders.
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But predicting how things will change decades from now is a more daunting task than embracing a gauzy promise.
Verb
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Barclays in June raised its year-end target for the S&P 500 to 7,800 – implying a gain of 4% across the next six months.
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Many modern brides now wear different outfits for the ceremony and reception, and reporting from Page Six implies that Swift will follow suit.
Verb
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The housing package was heralded as a win by both Republicans and Democrats, who are eager to campaign on the legislation ahead of the 2026 midterms in which voters have serious concerns about the cost of living.
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There will also be random utility players and less-than-heralded bullpen arms included to fill out the roster.
Verb
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The survey is an indicator of companies foreseeing good conditions minus those feeling pessimistic.
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To say legislators should have foreseen this result is shooting fish.
Cite this Entry
“Adumbrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adumbrate. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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