as in to foreshadow
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring
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Recent Examples of prefigure
And another is how aspects of our future may be prefigured in the desert’s past.
—
Literary Hub, 3 Oct. 2025
Andersen’s story may have prefigured this moment, although no major actor in the war wants to be the boy.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
Literary Hub, 3 Oct. 2025
Andersen’s story may have prefigured this moment, although no major actor in the war wants to be the boy.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefigure
Verb
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Those detours foreshadowed Paris, where the styling again backs away from surface-level pink and redistributes it to the interior.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
8 Nov. 2025
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The Virginia gubernatorial contests foreshadowed Republican wins in 1993, 2009, and 2021.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Lucas predicted after the season-opening win over Jacksonville that Reneau would emerge as the team’s leading scorer this season.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
11 Nov. 2025
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City officials have struggled to predict water availability in the recent past, especially as the ongoing drought on the Colorado River has continued delivering terrible water years.—
Austin Corona,
AZCentral.com,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Rams have ridden a 7-2 record to +700 odds, which implies an over 12 percent chance of winning it all.—
Hannah Vanbiber,
New York Times,
11 Nov. 2025
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And Microsoft just marked down the value of its investment in OpenAI in an accounting move that implies OpenAI lost $12 billion in the most recent quarter.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
11 Nov. 2025
Verb
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From the time the practice became a significant industry in the 18th century to its official ban in 1986, whale hunters were heralded with songs and literature celebrating their exploits.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
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The November full moon is upon us, heralding a spectacular natural light show as the largest supermoon of 2025 takes to the sky near the peak of the Southern Taurid meteor shower, which is known for producing dramatic fireball shooting stars.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Will Woll’s return to the Leafs come earlier than the organization anticipated?—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Its official commissioning has been highly anticipated in China, where the country’s rapid military modernization, including the expansion of its navy, has been a deep source of national pride.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prefigure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefigure. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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