1
as in shadow
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays
the lunar eclipse began with a subtle darkening of the lunar surface as it passed within the Earth's penumbra
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in veil
something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth
a penumbra of despair fell over the doomed city
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penumbra
Some of this work involves agencies such as the National Reconnaissance Office, placing it within the penumbra of classification.
—
Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025
Here's what Hoosiers will be seeing during the event, writes NASA:
11:57 p.m., Penumbral eclipse begins: The moon enters the Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of the shadow.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Although the penumbra phase is interesting, most spectators will begin observing during the partial phase.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
The entire process should end by this time as the moon slowly exits the Earth's penumbra.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025
Here's what Hoosiers will be seeing during the event, writes NASA:
11:57 p.m., Penumbral eclipse begins: The moon enters the Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of the shadow.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Although the penumbra phase is interesting, most spectators will begin observing during the partial phase.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
The entire process should end by this time as the moon slowly exits the Earth's penumbra.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penumbra
Noun
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Step into the shadows with a Conway Ghost Walk and hear the tales of ghosts that haunt the streets.—
Symiah Dorsey,
Southern Living,
11 Oct. 2025
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Divers have told tales of muffled voices, phantom lights and shadows, and other eerie encounters during their time beneath the sea.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Also like Lynch, Robinson’s onscreen world hums with quiet dread, a sense that something sinister lurks just beneath the veil of the everyday banal.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2025
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As the days shorten, leaves fall, and the earth prepares to rest, the veil between the physical and spiritual realms thin.—
Raquel Reichard,
Refinery29,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The museum will also build a new welcome center, gift shop and open-air event pavilion with a permanent roof structure for shade.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
10 Oct. 2025
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An oversized leather jacket and jeans will keep things comfy, while a neutral shoulder bag and trendy shades give the look a casual chic finish.—
Clare Holden,
Glamour,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Some wear kittles, white burial shrouds, to signify repentance, according to History.—
Krys'tal Griffin,
Freep.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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Moraes developed computer models to simulate draping a sheet on both a 3D human form and a bas-relief carving to test which version most closely matched the figure preserved in the shroud.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Just imagine it—you’d abruptly awaken in the darkness, a blackness that’s so all-consuming that your eyes could never adjust beneath the earth’s chill frost line.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Oct. 2025
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Passengers experience a few minutes of weightlessness and get to see Earth against the blackness of space.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Though some details remain under the cloak of invisibility, fans can expect a global theatrical re-release of the original film, special edition products and retail promotions.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
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Louise Donegan, my wife, [has] been working on my look for a couple of years, like the cloak thing.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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That Friday night, at dusk, Mamdani set out from Inwood.—
Eric Lach,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
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By dusk, the men in the lake house—men with wives and girlfriends wisely absent—were cracking jokes about his comely dishevelment.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The shootings cast a pall on what is normally a jubilant season in the Mississippi countryside, as stifling heat gives way to cooler autumn days and former residents return to reconnect with the community of their youth.—
Aishvarya Kavi,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
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The result is not just uncertainty for viewers, TV executives and show staffs, but a pall over an advertising category that's long been a staple of live TV.—
Lillian Rizzo,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penumbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penumbra. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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