penumbra

noun

pə-ˈnəm-brə How to pronounce penumbra (audio)
Definition of penumbranext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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 penumbra During many eclipse seasons, the moon merely skims Earth's penumbra and umbra. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2026 The partial outer shadow is called the penumbra; the full, dark shadow is the umbra. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026 For now, we’re held in the sweet penumbra of heaviness. — James Parker, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2025 The umbra is a darker inner shadow and the penumbra is a fainter outer shadow, according to NASA. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penumbra
  1. shadow
  2. veil
  3. shade
  4. shroud
  5. blackness
  6. cloak
  7. dusk
  8. pall
Noun
  • Totality — when the sun is completely obscured — is only visible within the narrow path of the moon's shadow.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The regulatory framework — not the smell itself — determines whether cannabis use happens in the open under reasonable rules or in the shadows with none at all.
    — Peter Su, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of shadow
Noun
  • The bride’s veil measured 39 feet, and her train became the longest ever worn at a British royal wedding.
    — Eliza Prosperini, Vanity Fair, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Her post included a look at sketches and fabric samples on a workroom table, her veil displayed on a mannequin and a clip of the Miu Miu team doing a fitting with Blondeau.
    — Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of veil
Noun
  • While The Row’s version is sold out in classic shades like black and cream, Quince just dropped fresh summer and early fall colors, including ivory, bright red, and tea green.
    — Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Look at your existing lawn and landscaping and note the amount of shade your yard is getting.
    — Amanda Tust, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of shade
Noun
  • The trauma would remain buried beneath a heavy shroud of silence and shame, resurfacing only decades later—almost violently breaking through—during a hypnosis session.
    — Olivier Bouchara, Vanity Fair, 24 July 2026
  • Like Penelope’s shroud, it is woven and unwoven, always becoming, never complete.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 July 2026
Definition of shroud
Noun
  • Experts say that the biggest challenge at that extreme level of blackness is actually measuring it.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 June 2026
  • In the restaurant, my dad looked at me with the passionate conviction of a man who was confident in his Blackness and wanted nothing more than to pass it on.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
Definition of blackness
Noun
  • The new cloak is designed to accommodate arbitrary inner and outer shapes while operating omnidirectionally.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 July 2026
  • Just running around wearing cloaks, slinking into and out of castles, slicing the throats of all who cross her.
    — Brian Grubb, Vulture, 27 July 2026
Definition of cloak
Noun
  • The galaxy arches high across the sky, with its brightest and most detailed regions now well placed after dusk.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The park is open from dawn to dusk, several benches are scattered throughout the trail system and restrooms are available at the trailhead.
    — Nick Wagner, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of dusk
Noun
  • Whatever its stated purpose, the assertion seemed designed to cast a pall on the elections four months hence.
    — James Robenalt, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026
  • Slower growth could cast a pall on the November midterm elections.
    — David J. Lynch, Washington Post, 25 July 2026
Definition of pall

Browse Nearby Words

penultimate
penumbra
penumbrae
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Cite this Entry

“Penumbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penumbra. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on penumbra

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about penumbra

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