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
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 foreshadowing
Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
Markets test Trump As stocks whipsawed this month, volatility gripped Treasuries and the dollar broadly weakened, leaving investors wondering whether this was just a bout of extreme abnormality or a foreshadowing of more turmoil to come.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
In a bit of foreshadowing, Minnesota set a school record when that half dozen went to the NFL Scouting Combine this winter, although that isn’t a one-to-one comparison.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 21 Apr. 2025
The foreshadowing of their downfall is more interesting than anything else Porsha is bringing to the show in what was supposed to be her triumphant return.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Noun
The document, seen by Newsweek, suggested Meghan had been left unprotected while pregnant in a foreshadowing of her argument to Oprah Winfrey less than a year later.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
Markets test Trump As stocks whipsawed this month, volatility gripped Treasuries and the dollar broadly weakened, leaving investors wondering whether this was just a bout of extreme abnormality or a foreshadowing of more turmoil to come.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
In a bit of foreshadowing, Minnesota set a school record when that half dozen went to the NFL Scouting Combine this winter, although that isn’t a one-to-one comparison.
—Andy Greder, Twin Cities, 21 Apr. 2025
The foreshadowing of their downfall is more interesting than anything else Porsha is bringing to the show in what was supposed to be her triumphant return.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreshadowing
Noun
-
This is, in part, explained by the institutional memory of the competition’s forerunner — the Intercontinental Cup — and the legendary battles of a bygone era.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
-
Another forerunner of today’s scene is Ansedonia, a hillside community of upscale homes near Capalbio that in the 1960s became popular with creative types from the Italian capital.—
Lee Marshall,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The 49ers being the sixth favorite to win the Super Bowl next year seems insane and more based on past success rather than predicting future success.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
-
Analysts estimate that if the full 125% tariff hits without mitigation, iPhones could jump significantly in price—some predicting future models could reach $3,500.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
While few details were shared at the time, there were hints that the podcast would soon be relaunching.—
Skyler Caruso,
People.com,
26 June 2025
-
The strawberries are then quartered and added to the skillet alongside ruby port (a sweet fortified wine that generally tastes like red berries) and fresh ginger for a hint of sweet spice.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2025
Noun
-
Cravats were a precursor to the modern necktie, which emerged in the late 19th and early 20th century.—
Kristopher Fraser,
Robb Report,
20 June 2025
-
Real Madrid were among the favorites to win the first-of-its-kind tournament, which is a precursor to next year’s FIFA World Cup.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
19 June 2025
Verb
-
Analyst Joseph Spak lowered his price target to $51 from $64, implying 11% upside.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Citi kept its buy rating with a $265 per share price target, implying 46% upside to Friday’s close.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Appearances aren’t deceptive; the portents are grim.—
Christian Schneider,
National Review,
12 June 2025
-
Thus, the negative GDP change should not be taken as a portent of looming disaster.—
Bill Conerly,
Forbes.com,
6 May 2025
Noun
-
The problem is that making these predictions accurately is difficult.—
Catherine Brock,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
-
Ebadi made the prediction as a tenuous ceasefire appeared to be holding.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Now, the couple is eagerly anticipating the arrival of their first baby.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
-
With the government anticipating roughly an eight-week trial — six weeks for prosecutors and two for defense — any deviation from that schedule could be threatened by the July 4th weekend, which in turn could impact the potential jury pool.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
13 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foreshadowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreshadowing. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share