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penumbra

noun

pə-ˈnəm-brə How to pronounce penumbra (audio)
Definition of penumbranext
1
as in shadow
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays the lunar eclipse began with a subtle darkening of the lunar surface as it passed within the Earth's penumbra

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in veil
something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth a penumbra of despair fell over the doomed city

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 penumbra As the moon moves into Earth’s outer shadow, called the penumbra, the dimming is subtle. — Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 2 Mar. 2026 The Moon moves right to left, passing through the penumbra and umbra, leaving in its wake an eclipse diagram with the times at various stages of the eclipse. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Mar. 2026 During many eclipse seasons, the moon merely skims Earth's penumbra and umbra. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2026 The partial outer shadow is called the penumbra; the full, dark shadow is the umbra. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penumbra
  1. shadow
  2. veil
  3. shade
  4. shroud
  5. blackness
  6. cloak
  7. dusk
  8. pall
Noun
  • Video projections by Rael and Haynes evoke black-and-white shadow puppetry that’s especially effective during the scenes set in Mictlán.
    — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • To passersby, we could easily be mistaken for two teenagers hiding in the shadows.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of shadow
Noun
  • The last time the country buried a king, in 1991, Queen Sonja and her daughter Märtha Louise wore long, black veils.
    — Filippo Iarocci, Vanity Fair, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Iran’s relationship with the veil is also more complicated than the Islamic Republic has ever acknowledged.
    — Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of veil
Noun
  • There are molten metallics in approachable shades (gold, silver, bronze) and artsier ones too (rainbow chrome, lilac, fuchsia).
    — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The shoes are crafted from leather in an eggshell shade, with a studded finish and a double-buckle detail strap that fastens across the instep.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of shade
Noun
  • Scaffolding was being taken down Tuesday after workers over Labor Day weekend removed a shroud that had obscured the work.
    — Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The novel invites and shrouds and protects, then presses on him for years in recollection, worrying the edges of imagination.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of shroud
Noun
  • In the foreground, the telescope's payload adapter can be seen, while just behind, the orbital observatory floats into the blackness of space with its solar arrays still folded for launch.
    — Brett Tingley, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Totality was extraordinary, with a circle of blackness in the sky.
    — Raf Sanchez, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of blackness
Noun
  • Saturday audiences pick which player takes on the cloak, and that choice sets which of the five scripts plays out.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Taylor built a career out of being fully, unapologetically herself, rarely hiding behind the cloak of fame with an unrelenting focus on her pursuits.
    — Kathy Lee, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of cloak
Noun
  • Adriatic sage brings the outdoors in—this candle smells like an open window in the height of Italian summer, sunlight on tile floors, and triple servings of pasta to come in the late dusk.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Great for hiking, everyday wear, and travel days, these shoes will support you from dusk to dawn thanks to their cushy arch-supporting midsole, secure and adjustable heel lock strap, and additional lugs for even better traction.
    — Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of dusk
Noun
  • All parents struggle in some way to adjust to life as empty nesters, but Charlie leaves his mom and dad in a somber, reflective state that casts a heavy pall over an episode that drifts toward the turgid.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Or perhaps as a slender volume whose first chapter signals its interest in parenting and dating in a blue collar Yorkshire town cast in a permanent pall of mist.
    — Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of pall

Browse Nearby Words

penultimate
penumbra
penumbrae
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Cite this Entry

“Penumbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penumbra. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on penumbra

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about penumbra

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