foreshadow

verb

fore·​shad·​ow fȯr-ˈsha-(ˌ)dō 

foreshadowed; foreshadowing; foreshadows

transitive verb

: to represent, indicate, or typify beforehand : prefigure

The hero's predicament is foreshadowed in the first chapter.

foreshadower

fȯr-ˈsha-də-wər 

noun

Synonyms of foreshadow

• prefigure
• predict
• imply
• herald
• anticipate
• adumbrate
• foresee
• harbinger

Examples of foreshadow in a Sentence

Her early interest in airplanes foreshadowed her later career as a pilot.

The hero's predicament is foreshadowed in the first chapter.

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead of foreshadowing the big year that establishes Palencia as an elite closer, the WBC may have added to this season’s choppiness. — Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 16 June 2026

This spring, xAI struck a deal to give Cursor access to its compute infrastructure, foreshadowing similar, larger deals with Anthropic and Google in the future. — Samuel Axon, ArsTechnica, 16 June 2026

The final photo in the carousel was of an elderly couple standing side by side and looking out at the water, perhaps foreshadowing Lovato and Lutes growing old together. — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026

Michals’s first mature artistic series would foreshadow his later interests. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 11 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for foreshadow

• overshadow
• caddo

Kids Definition

foreshadow

verb

fore·​shad·​ow -ˈshad-ō 

: to give a hint or suggestion of beforehand

foreshadower noun