as in to foreshadow
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the strife in Bloody Kansas in the 1850s adumbrated the civil war that would follow
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Recent Examples of adumbrate
In between, works by contemporaries complicate superficial ideas about his meteoric genius, and small, delicate drawings teem with an abundance of ideas — paintings never made, thoughts adumbrated then abandoned.
—
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2019
Nothing in America’s tepid 19th-century contributions to European classical music adumbrated it; nor did the homely and sometimes hokey popular songs of Stephen Foster.
—Heather Mac Donald, National Review, 22 Aug. 2019
The helicopter crash, on the other hand, is a narrative dead end, merely adumbrating the portrait that Mr. Davenport will draw of Mr. Bezos as unflappable.
—Randall Stross, WSJ, 15 Apr. 2018
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2019
Nothing in America’s tepid 19th-century contributions to European classical music adumbrated it; nor did the homely and sometimes hokey popular songs of Stephen Foster.
—Heather Mac Donald, National Review, 22 Aug. 2019
The helicopter crash, on the other hand, is a narrative dead end, merely adumbrating the portrait that Mr. Davenport will draw of Mr. Bezos as unflappable.
—Randall Stross, WSJ, 15 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adumbrate
Verb
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Those contentious talks foreshadowed the extended lockout in the winter before the 2022 season.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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The shift reflects a broader transformation in how AI labor is valued—one that is reshaping workplace norms and could foreshadow similar pressures in other sectors as automation and innovation accelerate.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Germany’s population to shrink faster than expected Germany’s population is set to shrink 5% by 2050, much faster than previously anticipated, new forecasts suggest.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The result was broadly anticipated, and the reason is simple, as Buckley’s campaign has looked like the closest thing to a straight line in a season full of detours.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Kamm tail, with its upturned spoiler and flat panel adorned with Ferrari’s signature twin round taillights, is a nod to aerodynamics that prefigures the shape of the Lusso’s spiritual successor, the 275 GTB.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
16 Feb. 2026
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The hills prefigure the burial mounds of the Scythian warrior-nomads of Siberia as well as the festive bonfires of the pagan Slavs—a tradition that continues even today.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Temperatures are predicted to be in the 50s at start time and rise into the 60s as the first athletes cross the finish line.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
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Others stake out a middle ground, predicting an AI transition that will be difficult but ultimately positive.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But the legal representatives also urged Orlins to respect other contestants, and implied that her political posts were harming other contestants.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
23 Feb. 2026
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Analyst Angel Castillo’s $560 price target implies a downside of 15%.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As spring approaches, heralding an end to the dreary winter season, thrift stores are looking for more donations of specific items.—
Asia London Palomba,
The Spruce,
23 Feb. 2026
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Their rustic aesthetic heralded an acoustic music boom that included acts like Ed Sheeran, Noah Kahan, and Zach Bryan, and their sound crept into the rhythms of pop.—
Jon Dolan,
Rolling Stone,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The important thing is that the ancient Circassians and Turks clearly foresaw Trump!—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
26 Feb. 2026
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Although Reiser didn’t foresee this year’s team going 0-20, that’s what happened.—
Lori Riley,
Hartford Courant,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adumbrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adumbrate. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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