as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
the hero's strange encounter with a grave digger is often seen as a foreshadowing of his own death
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in predicting
to give a slight indication of beforehand
a series of small tremors that foreshadowed the massive earthquake the next day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of foreshadowing
Mukala Kabongo, Boston Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
Vance Joseph provided a bit of foreshadowing earlier this month.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2025
Kyle Denis, Billboard, 24 Feb. 2026
The episode generates suspense by foreshadowing a second existential threat—one that intriguingly complicates Sinatra’s motivations with regard to power siphoning.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Noun
With Division 1 being wide open this season, this early-season matchup is a possible foreshadowing of a postseason matchup.
—Mukala Kabongo, Boston Herald, 23 Dec. 2025
Vance Joseph provided a bit of foreshadowing earlier this month.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 22 Dec. 2025
Verb
In response, Offset tossed Grayson Waller over a table, foreshadowing Evans’ ultimate victory.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 24 Feb. 2026
The episode generates suspense by foreshadowing a second existential threat—one that intriguingly complicates Sinatra’s motivations with regard to power siphoning.
—Judy Berman, Time, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreshadowing
Noun
-
The camp is a program of the Woodcraft Rangers, founded by author and naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton, whose pioneering Woodcraft Rangers program was a forerunner to groups such as the Boy Scouts.—
Jessie Dax-Setkus,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
-
The Norwegian ended his season before the Olympics to further recover from a shoulder injury, but attended the finals as one of the forerunners, who test a course shortly before a race starts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But workers are also wary of the risks threatening typical 9-to-5 roles, with future-of-work reports and big-name CEOs predicting widespread workforce changes.—
Megan Sauer
Sarah Jackson
Sophie Caldwell,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Users on Polymarket and Kalshi had placed bets totaling about $11 million as of Friday morning towards predicting who will win.—
Lia Russell
March 27,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The air smells damp and jungly (in the best possible way) and is sweetened with a hint of frangipani.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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Researchers are now exploring Greenland shark genetics for clues about aging, finding hints of enhanced DNA repair and cellular maintenance that could slow aging at a fundamental level.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Such engravings, which depict the wackily maximalist style à la mode, including oodles of feathers and furbelows, were, in essence, early precursors to modern fashion magazines.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Tantric yoga is obviously meant to be the precursor to intimate relations.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Market pricing is implying no moves in either direction before the end of the year.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
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In a response posted to social media, Kennedy hit back at the pediatrics academy's criticism, implying that corporate pharmaceutical funders influenced the organization's views.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Somewhere in there was portent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
-
This was only a portent of things to come — the protests were dwarfed by massive protests and riots against the regime in September 2022-2023, then the largest protests in December 2025 to January 2026.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The crypto traders first moved on to gold, and then left the precious metal and went to prediction markets.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
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The vacation prediction yielded similar results.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Upon first light in Wrigleyville early Thursday, the marquee at Murphy’s Bleachers, the venerable bar at the corner of Waveland and Sheffield avenues, still counted down toward a day people had been anticipating for the past 166 days, since the Cubs ended last season.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
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Potential bidders and sports finance executives have been anticipating the league’s decision for years and will not be surprised by Wednesday’s vote.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foreshadowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreshadowing. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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