as in foreshadowing
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the strife in Bloody Kansas in the 1850s adumbrated the civil war that would follow
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adumbrating
Verb
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Francesca is visibly flustered in Michaela’s presence, foreshadowing a future connection.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
30 Jan. 2026 -
Their Greatest Hits also holds another unique place in popular music history as the first record to receive an RIAA platinum certification in 1976, foreshadowing its status in 2026.—
Prof. Mike Alleyne Ph.D,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The modern era is full of those predicting that the industrialization of the housing industry is just a few years away, only to be proved wrong.—
Ben Christopher,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson had just trounced Michael Dukakis in the Michigan presidential primary — despite polls predicting Dukakis would win easily.—
Suzy Khimm,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Seattle is currently +800 (8-to-1) to win a second straight title, implying a roughly 11 percent chance of a repeat.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
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Analyst Ben Reitzes also lowered his price target to $430, implying that shares could add 7%.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In a meeting this week, Arizona officials seemed to be anticipating failure.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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Like other abolitionists anticipating slavery’s spread with westward expansion, Codding was drawn to Lockport, a key location linking the nation.—
Susan DeGrane,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In Birmingham this July, a series of events heralding the Invictus Games' one-year countdown will take place.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
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Many Democratic leaders are also heralding a tax hike on high earners in Massachusetts as proof that the wealthy won't flee.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Still, many business heads are upbeat, foreseeing a sense of continuity and a measure of economic reassurance and certainty ahead.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
11 Feb. 2026
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And Tester is foreseeing progress that goes far beyond the 2006 blue wave that swept him into office.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
28 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Adumbrating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adumbrating. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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