as in to anticipate
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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Moreover, the company anticipates a net loss of around $125 million in Q1, substantially higher than the net loss of $72.59 million from the same quarter last year.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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The reports are highly anticipated by diplomats, activists and journalists and have a reputation for being even-handed and comprehensive.—
Graham Smith,
NPR,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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If difficulty finding workers is the main factor, weak hiring trends probably aren’t foreshadowing wider layoffs, and the Federal Reserve can keep interest rates high.—
Ashley Lutz,
Fortune,
9 Aug. 2025
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And head coach Sarina Wiegman became football’s Steven Spielberg — an instant foreshadowing expert.—
Karen Carney,
New York Times,
27 July 2025
Verb
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The Almanac also accurately predicted a deep cold spell at the end of January.—
Diana Leyva,
The Tennessean,
12 Aug. 2025
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Some have predicted that the feud between Massie and Trump could devolve into a costly intra-party civil war for Republicans.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This early embrace of mechanical rhythm prefigured what would later become a foundation of hip-hop and electronic music.—
Jose Valentino Ruiz,
The Conversation,
13 June 2025
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Its extreme hostility to the very idea of liberal governance, its skepticism of democracy, and its faith in the primacy of the wealthy over the law all prefigured the way that Trump and Elon Musk would assail key functions of government in 2025.—
Zack Beauchamp,
Vox,
7 Dec. 2018
Verb
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That implies roughly 28% potential upside ahead for Sunrun shares, which have gained more than 18% this year.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
14 Aug. 2025
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As its name implies, placing the radiometer in light produces a measurable change: the blades start spinning.—
Andrew Cunningham,
ArsTechnica,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Ultimately, this recipe is heralded as a unique, not-your-usual cobbler that wows even the most classic of Southern cooks.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
5 Aug. 2025
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The taxidermied bird hung on the wall is prominently featured on Soul’s website, a mascot of sorts, heralding the restaurant’s return.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Do all those giddy supporters foresee survival in nine months?—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
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But there may be far-longer-term consequences that are hard to foresee.—
Rafael Nam,
NPR,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adumbrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adumbrate. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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