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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penumbra
Some of this work involves agencies such as the National Reconnaissance Office, placing it within the penumbra of classification.
—
Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025
Here's what Hoosiers will be seeing during the event, writes NASA:
11:57 p.m., Penumbral eclipse begins: The moon enters the Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of the shadow.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Although the penumbra phase is interesting, most spectators will begin observing during the partial phase.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
The entire process should end by this time as the moon slowly exits the Earth's penumbra.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025
Here's what Hoosiers will be seeing during the event, writes NASA:
11:57 p.m., Penumbral eclipse begins: The moon enters the Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of the shadow.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Although the penumbra phase is interesting, most spectators will begin observing during the partial phase.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
The entire process should end by this time as the moon slowly exits the Earth's penumbra.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penumbra
Noun
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Then one, two, three of them step out from the arboreal shadows, into a clearing in the valley.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Mazar-i-Sharif’s iconic Blue Mosque was damaged in the quake, footage on social media geolocated by CNN revealed, with its base littered with rubble - early evidence of the destruction captured in the shadows before dawn.—
Masoud Popalzai,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The veil is thin, the air electric and your intuition is sharp.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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The women are pictured with, or without, veils and against the backdrop of Baroque and modern churches.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Snag them in the playful pistachio green shade while sizes are available from XS to XL, or score them in blue or pink with a far more limited size selection.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Why not start things off by repainting the living room—there are many shades that designers absolutely love for their soothing factor.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Moments later, Red Cross officials arrive on the scene as the shroud containing the body is pulled from the dirt.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
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The 54 unidentified bodies were laid carefully in a long line of white shrouds as Palestinians gathered around the grave site.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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One hour becomes two, two become three, my mind straining for answers in the blackness.—
Rowan Jacobsen,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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Smoke and blackness enfolded him.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Goldwell Open Air Museum, next to the skeletal buildings of Rhyolite Ghost Town, is a large-scale sculpture installation created by a group of Belgian artists that’s complete with ghostly figures wearing white cloaks.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
28 Oct. 2025
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The 42-seat screening room, originally a cloak room, is officially a part of the private residence of the First Family, but its history from Eisenhower to Reagan was recorded by its longtime projectionist, Paul Fischer.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The views are stunning, with dense jungle lining the riverbanks and pink dolphins occasionally surfacing around dawn and dusk.—
Aaron Randolph,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
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The best thing to fight off early sunset melancholia is to try to get outside at dusk, even for a few minutes.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The deadlock has put a pall over Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are frustrated, staffers aren’t getting paid, and the mood is dark, even compared to shutdowns of years past.—
Mike Lillis,
The Hill,
5 Nov. 2025
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The shootings cast a pall on what is normally a jubilant season in the Mississippi countryside, as stifling heat gives way to cooler autumn days and former residents return to reconnect with the community of their youth.—
Aishvarya Kavi,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penumbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penumbra. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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