as in to foreshadow
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prefigure
This early embrace of mechanical rhythm prefigured what would later become a foundation of hip-hop and electronic music.
—
Jose Valentino Ruiz, The Conversation, 13 June 2025
The widescreen, 35mm format prefigured IMAX and other high-density imagery in a way that still stuns on screen.
—John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025
It is also prefigured (another Biblical device) by Pharaoh’s order, in Exodus, to kill all male babies born to Hebrew mothers.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Its extreme hostility to the very idea of liberal governance, its skepticism of democracy, and its faith in the primacy of the wealthy over the law all prefigured the way that Trump and Elon Musk would assail key functions of government in 2025.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
Jose Valentino Ruiz, The Conversation, 13 June 2025
The widescreen, 35mm format prefigured IMAX and other high-density imagery in a way that still stuns on screen.
—John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025
It is also prefigured (another Biblical device) by Pharaoh’s order, in Exodus, to kill all male babies born to Hebrew mothers.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Its extreme hostility to the very idea of liberal governance, its skepticism of democracy, and its faith in the primacy of the wealthy over the law all prefigured the way that Trump and Elon Musk would assail key functions of government in 2025.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefigure
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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At the same time, the Federal Reserve’s shift back to rate cuts amid still-solid economic growth should continue to boost to the dollar, which will likely shrug off tariff threats, Brown predicted.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
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The event, the most disputed of the festival, marked the Rio premiere of Kleber Mendonça Filho’s thriller and saw Wagner Moura — predicted by Variety’s very own Clayton Davis to land a Best Actor nomination — spearhead a healthy list of cast and crew at the screening.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Friends alum also spoke about how the tabloids implying her personal timeline for starting a family wasn’t true.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Oct. 2025
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Like the show's moniker implies, Bravo fans can expect plenty of hilarious, self-deprecating references to Bateman's time on RHOSLC.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The re-release also heralds the studio’s shift into the short film space.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
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Autumn has draped itself across the northern hemisphere, heralding the onset of longer, darker nights that serve as the perfect backdrop for amateur astronomers looking to explore the wonders of the night sky.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In April, Caviezel anticipated returning as Christ in Resurrection.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
11 Oct. 2025
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Most teams anticipate the asking price to be steep.—
Dianna Russini,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prefigure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefigure. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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