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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But for Martin, Holladay's win continues a string of victories in special elections for state legislative races that foreshadow midterms in November.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Mar. 2026
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In general, the data RADARS collected from people seeking treatment showed price, availability and purity matter most to those who use illicit drugs, which foreshadowed the shift from prescription opioids to heroin and fentanyl following a government crackdown on pill mills, Dart said.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Weissberg and Brieske aren’t the only pivotal veterans of the venue who did not anticipate its longevity and impact.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
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Milpitas anticipates facing a multi-million dollar shortfall over the next five years.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The horror has come now like a storm— what if this night prefigured the night after death— what if all thereafter was an eternal quivering on the edge of an abyss, with everything base and vicious in oneself urging one forward and the baseness and viciousness of the world just ahead.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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Knowing this value helps scientists predict chemical stability and reaction pathways.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
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As the dust slowly settles, Democrats predict a wave of outrage, especially over the new voting restrictions.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Swaps imply two full 25-basis-point hikes by the ECB this year compared with one on Friday.—
James Hirai,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
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As the name implies, this cool dessert is a true delight.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Despite potential low pay, healthcare has been heralded as a fast-growing career path safe from both AI disruption and recessionary impacts—leading to an influx of interest and job openings within the profession, while other sectors lay off staffers in droves.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
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The restaurant’s opening in 2024 came with great excitement, as its sibling restaurant, Trattoria Da Me, is an institution in the city, heralded for modernizing traditional Bolognese cuisine without losing its rustic history.—
Kristin Braswell,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In 1685, Giovanni Borelli, the Italian physicist, foresaw a world where machines driven by pulleys could ape the actions of animals.—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
12 Mar. 2026
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Back then, neither of us could have foreseen the pandemic, Georgia’s growing political unrest, a war in neighboring Ukraine, or the collapse of several multi-brand retailers, which altogether has slowed down progress for Situationist and Georgian fashion more broadly.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Adumbrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adumbrate. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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