as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
the hero's strange encounter with a grave digger is often seen as a foreshadowing of his own death
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in predicting
to give a slight indication of beforehand
a series of small tremors that foreshadowed the massive earthquake the next day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of foreshadowing
Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
In a foreshadowing of graver threats to come, this time GICs also disrupted the electrical signals that powered the rail network in London and surged through telephone lines around Chicago.
—Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 12 Nov. 2025
The film’s most unsettling scenes connect Hans' murder spree with the bloodlust of the German public, foreshadowing the Nazis’ rise to power just a few years later.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Noun
This bit of foreshadowing was based on the coaching staff’s film study of an Atlanta team that entered Week 14 leading the league in kickoff return yardage allowed.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 8 Dec. 2025
In a foreshadowing of graver threats to come, this time GICs also disrupted the electrical signals that powered the rail network in London and surged through telephone lines around Chicago.
—Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Earle was dressed to the nines, well, more like the tens — some foreshadowing there — for the occasion, donning a glistening white and silver gown with feather accents, along with long white gloves and a blinding choker.
—Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 12 Nov. 2025
The film’s most unsettling scenes connect Hans' murder spree with the bloodlust of the German public, foreshadowing the Nazis’ rise to power just a few years later.
—Katie Rife, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreshadowing
Noun
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And these projects may just be the forerunners.—
Andy Sheehan,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
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Sheila Bridges also comes to mind as such a forerunner for our community, embracing the beauty of our heritage and culture.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Most analysts are predicting Miami to repeat, assuming Messi stays healthy, but the azul and chrome are legitimate contenders.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
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Warners is predicting Wuthering Heights will top GOAT at the global box office again to finish Sunday with a worldwide total in the $150 million range.—
Pamela McClintock,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fans are buzzing about an Act III album release date, every potential hint will be fully examined—and that includes her nails!—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
17 Feb. 2026
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Their hardware not only adds a hint of shine to the monochromatic outfit but also keeps the outfit fresh and unexpected.—
Shelby Comroe,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Built from abundant molecular precursors, these polymer systems offer intrinsic structural flexibility alongside tunable electrochemical properties.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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The move is often regarded as a precursor to actively intervening in currency markets.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The firm upgraded the oil and gas giant to buy and updated its price target to $205, implying that shares of Chevron could rise 13% from here.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
17 Feb. 2026
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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
Noun
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By the end of 1857, no one knew the crack-up of the Union was coming in three years, or that the nation would be in a civil war in four, but the portents were bleak.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
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If that is the case, the Ring Nebula could be a portent of what awaits Earth in around 5 billion years when the sun runs out of fuel for nuclear fusion and puffs out to become a red giant.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
19 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Several inches of snow were expected to fall over the following day with the heaviest prediction of 8-12 inches falling on Tuesday.—
Emilie Stigliani,
Sacbee.com,
15 Feb. 2026
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Last week, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo became the first NBA player to openly endorse—and take direct equity in—a prediction market platform.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With spring on the horizon, my mind is eagerly anticipating longer days of sunshine, warmer temperatures, and upcoming vacation getaways.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
19 Feb. 2026
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By 1998, burnt out on stimulants and anticipating a Y2K apocalypse, Land had a breakdown, left academia, and dropped off the map.—
James Duesterberg,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foreshadowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreshadowing. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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