foreshadowing 1 of 2

noun

fȯr-ˈsha-də-wiŋ How to pronounce foreshadowing (audio)
Definition of foreshadowingnext
as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event the hero's strange encounter with a grave digger is often seen as a foreshadowing of his own death

Synonyms & Similar Words

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foreshadowing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of foreshadow
as in predicting
to give a slight indication of beforehand a series of small tremors that foreshadowed the massive earthquake the next day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of foreshadowing
Noun
What detracts from the film is the clumsily emphatic foreshadowing of a dramatic plot turn, which is pretty much spelled out by an alarm company technician who sells Miguel on the wisdom of upgrading to a next-level home security system. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 On stage, the audience is the camera, peering into a cutaway of set designer Fly Davis’ ominous, two-story house, lit with foreboding foreshadowing by Anna Watson. — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
As all of this finale drama is happening around him, Danny gets increasingly drunker, foreshadowing absolutely nothing good coming our way. — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 30 July 2026 The regulatory move was seen as foreshadowing a wider approval for these types of products on equities. — Yun Li, CNBC, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreshadowing
  1. forerunner
  2. predicting
  3. hint
  4. prefiguring
  5. precursor
  6. implying
  7. portent
  8. anticipating
Noun
  • Koslow’s screen career began in 1976 as the writer of the film Lifeguard, a ’70s-era Baywatch forerunner starring a hunky Sam Elliott and Anne Archer.
    — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Rather than try to replicate his forerunners’ styles of success, Ternus has so far played to his own strengths—which are also those of Apple, a company that first and foremost builds beautiful products that spark productivity, creativity, and joy.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of forerunner
Verb
  • Forecasters are predicting that the northeast and Mid-Atlantic will experience similar amounts of flooding as happened during a 2023 El Niño event — a record setting year.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Yet internal records show administrators had met weeks earlier to plan for the controversy, predicting both the locker room privacy concerns and the parent outrage over cut players.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of predicting
Noun
  • The two remain royals, but growing speculation hints that once Prince William ascends the throne, that might change.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Yet other separatist movements in Canada appear to have taken the hint.
    — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of hint
Verb
  • On the city’s West Side, the site of storied clubs such as Silvio’s as well as the Maxwell Street Market, blues musicians developed a style of electric blues in the 1950s that typically included a horn section (prefiguring soul music).
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
Definition of prefiguring
Noun
  • To fix the chemical interference, the research team added a decoupling modulator molecule featuring ammonium ions, iodide ions, and two sulfonate groups to the precursor solution.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026
  • This notorious commercial entity, a precursor of the global corporations of today and big enough to command its own army, ruthlessly exploited foreign resources, human and material.
    — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of precursor
Verb
  • The lawsuit is different from previous legal action against the president -- first, in that the plaintiffs are ordinary citizens, shifting the focus from news gatherers to news consumers, and thus implying a much larger pool of stakeholders.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Deutsche Bank also has a buy rating on the stock and raised its price target to $250 from $230, implying nearly 70% upside.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of implying
Noun
  • Eager to interpret the gods’ will—surely, stones that trailed light must hold sacred portent—the Romans consulted the Sibylline Books.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Grâce à la merveilleuse découverte de la Science Chrétienne, nos prières pour le monde sont efficaces et portent leurs fruits.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of portent
Verb
  • Kalshi has hired one of former President Barack Obama’s top advisers, political strategist Eric Schultz, a person familiar with the matter told Semafor — the latest sign of companies anticipating Democratic victories in Tuesday’s midterms.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Investors were anticipating Moody’s rating decision as France, the second-largest economy in the euro zone, grappled with protests and a sharp surge in bond yields.
    — Darla Mercado, CFP®,Jeff Cox, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of anticipating

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Foreshadowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreshadowing. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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