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
  • Roberts’s quip foreshadowed his opinion on behalf of the Court holding that near-universal birthright citizenship is guaranteed by the text of the Fourteenth Amendment’s citizenship clause.
    — Amanda Frost, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
  • As Sam Khan wrote yesterday, the SWC also foreshadowed the future of college football.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of foreshadow
Verb
  • Thousands of apartments have gone on the market in the last couple of years, and there are more in the pipeline, though fewer projects are anticipated in the future.
    — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
  • The country is investing in more hotels and attractions in capital city Ulaanbaatar, anticipating that number will go up in the years to come.
    — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of anticipate
Verb
  • 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
  • Over the course of one phantasmagoric evening, Robin witnesses events that prefigure the Revolutionary War.
    — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
Definition of prefigure
Verb
  • Before a ball was even kicked at this tournament, many people predicted this semifinal matchup when filling in their bracket.
    — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
  • Key features of PocketGuard PocketGuard has several key features that help customers manage their money, track spending, and predict future spending.
    — Catherine Collins, USA Today, 10 July 2026
Definition of predict
Verb
  • Apple — Shares of the iPhone maker slid about 1% KeyBanc downgraded Apple to underweight from sector weight, with a $250 price target implying 21% downside from Monday’s close.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 14 July 2026
  • These numbers don’t imply that transport by police vehicle instead of an ambulance necessarily saved more lives.
    — Cal Chengqi Fang, The Conversation, 14 July 2026
Definition of imply
Verb
  • Her subsequent album, Faster Than The Speed of Night, produced by Meat Loaf producer Jim Steinman, was the first album by a female artist to debut at number one in Britain, and heralded a new rock style for her.
    — Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 9 July 2026
  • The former is heralded with a blast of horns; the latter guards its inner sanctum behind Tobie Windham’s officious sentry.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of herald
Verb
  • Not many will have foreseen Norway’s commanding victory over Brazil, but the way Solbakken managed that game is testament to both his tactical intelligence and their squad depth.
    — Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 July 2026
  • His one talent was his ability to foresee that the vilification of ambitious and successful people might lead to the political mass resentment and hatred for such individuals.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 9 July 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 17 Jul. 2026.

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