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
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Recent Examples of penumbra
The stages of the total lunar eclipse: 1) Moon enters penumbra
The shadow cone of the Earth has two parts: a dark, inner umbra, surrounding by a lighter penumbra.
—
Joe Rao, Space.com, 9 Mar. 2025
From Good Friday until Saturday night the whole village was held under the penumbra of the eclipse the Gospel writers claimed had arrived as Christ drew his last breath on the Cross.
—Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 6 May 2025
Sixth contact is when the moon leaves the penumbra and the eclipse is officially over.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025
The moon will enter the outer part of the Earth’s shadow, called the penumbra.
—Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Joe Rao, Space.com, 9 Mar. 2025
From Good Friday until Saturday night the whole village was held under the penumbra of the eclipse the Gospel writers claimed had arrived as Christ drew his last breath on the Cross.
—Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 6 May 2025
Sixth contact is when the moon leaves the penumbra and the eclipse is officially over.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025
The moon will enter the outer part of the Earth’s shadow, called the penumbra.
—Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penumbra
Noun
-
Without decisive action, the shadow empire may soon eclipse its legal counterpart entirely.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Dust obscures light emitted from behind it, creating a shadow effect called dust lanes.—
Rebecca McClain,
Space.com,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
Not only that, but Katie Gaudreau’s veil featured custom messages in her brothers’ handwriting.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 July 2025
-
The post also pulled back the veil, if only slightly, on the complex and secretive process federal officials use to determine who belongs on terrorism watch lists that can influence decisions every day by employers, airport security and law enforcement.—
Dan Horn,
The Enquirer,
14 July 2025
Noun
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Read on to see the exact shades our editors are loving, along with paint color recommendations for your next room refresh or DIY project.—
Emily Williams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Aug. 2025
-
Kids line up here for scoops and floats, while parents enjoy the shade at outdoor picnic tables or on the roof overlooking the water.—
Katherine Lawless,
Travel + Leisure,
2 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The body of one of the girls is covered in a shroud made of satin and lace.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
2 Aug. 2025
-
The mummy was wrapped in a shroud a few feet below the tree trunk.—
Ellen Wexler,
Smithsonian Magazine,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Tendrils of a very different blackness slithered over him.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
24 July 2025
-
That experience includes a few minutes of weightlessness and great views of Earth against the blackness of space, from an altitude of more than 62 miles (100 kilometers).—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
22 July 2025
Noun
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But in practice, the race for chair has not stopped some party players’ tactics from veering into the cloak and dagger.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
-
Two actors hired to do Spartacus-style cosplay in velvet cloaks fell from their posts in the heat.—
D. T. Max,
New Yorker,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
Avoid the outdoors during peak mosquito activity hours surrounding dawn and dusk.—
Molly Guthrey,
Twin Cities,
25 July 2025
-
Miu Miu usually stages conversations with actors in addition to the screening of the latest installment of its Women’s Tales project of short films, while the likes of Armani Beauty and Chanel have set a tradition for hosting glamourous gatherings after dusk.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
22 July 2025
Noun
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Taken as a whole, these and other anti-merger tactics undermined due process and cast a pall over economically beneficial M&A. Pre-Biden Merger Policy Restored New FTC and DOJ Trump Administration leaders have public publicly committed to rolling back the Biden anti-merger agenda.—
Alden Abbott,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
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Roving teams of federal immigration agents have cast a pall of fear across many of the region’s communities.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penumbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penumbra. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.
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