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adumbrate

verb

ˈa-dəm-ˌbrāt How to pronounce adumbrate (audio)
Definition of adumbratenext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adumbrate
  1. foreshadow
  2. anticipate
  3. prefigure
  4. predict
  5. imply
  6. herald
  7. foresee
Verb
  • Doing this for any longer is dangerous, a fact Brown foreshadowed throughout his final months in charge.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • There wasn’t mention of the drubbing that the Rams took in its opener against the 49ers, but that was perhaps foreshadowed by McVay during his interview.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of foreshadow
Verb
  • As baseball owners prepare for a lockout, in a push for the salary cap that would drive franchise values higher, insiders anticipate the MLB expansion fee could settle around or even above the $4 billion range.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Outside of Book Road, a full closure is also in place along 248th Avenue between 95th Street and Trumpet Avenue, which is anticipated to last through the fall.
    — Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of anticipate
Verb
  • On the city’s West Side, the site of storied clubs such as Silvio’s as well as the Maxwell Street Market, blues musicians developed a style of electric blues in the 1950s that typically included a horn section (prefiguring soul music).
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
  • Other Black families tried to hold on under the new regime but ultimately found Wilmington untenable and moved north, joining a local exodus that prefigured the Great Migration.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 July 2026
Definition of prefigure
Verb
  • Roughly two-thirds of American adults say AI is advancing too quickly, and more Americans predict AI will have a negative impact on society rather than positive, according to a Pew Research Center report from June.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Its relevance does not depend on predicting the price of ether or treating blockchain as a replacement for conventional finance.
    — Karen Koehler, Idaho Statesman, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of predict
Verb
  • This implies that our own hindbrain is already represented by an exclusive lineage of cells distinct from the forebrain and midbrain just three weeks after conception, roughly when other major organs like the heart are distinguishing themselves.
    — Mike McRae September 21, New Atlas, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The poet, Pavese implies, is a creature of Chaos—that anarchic state in which good is mixed with bad and monsters mingle with men and gods.
    — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of imply
Verb
  • The move, which also included staff terminations, underscores a broader shift in Ecuadorian society, at a time when many governments in the region are moving to the political right, away from heralding social inclusion.
    — Caterina Morbiato, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Step Back Uber’s arrival in Nigeria in 2014 heralded a taxi revolution after a couple handful of startups attempted ride-hailing services in Lagos with little success.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of herald
Verb
  • For the OGs, who couldn’t foresee the full scope of what this meant, the consequences might feel the starkest.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The head coach foresaw a transition taking place over a 12-to-18-month period, whereby Trafford would eventually usurp Pope, now 34.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of foresee

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Cite this Entry

“Adumbrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adumbrate. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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