as in darkened
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Recent Examples of penumbral
First, the moon enters the faint outer shadow of the Earth, or the penumbra, where dimming is subtle; this is the penumbral eclipse.
—
Stefanie Waldek, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026
On March 3, 2026, totality will last 58 minutes, but the full event — including penumbral and partial phases — will span 5 hours and 38 minutes.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026
The penumbral shadow is the outer, lighter portion, which only partially blocks sunlight.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
The penumbral shadow is the outer, lighter shadow where only a partial blocking of sunlight occurs.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
After this March event, Earth’s shadow will only skim the moon, creating less impactful partial and penumbral eclipses in late 2026, 2027 and 2028.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The stages of the eclipse include penumbral and umbral phases, which refer to the two main parts of the shadow that the moon casts.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
Stefanie Waldek, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026
On March 3, 2026, totality will last 58 minutes, but the full event — including penumbral and partial phases — will span 5 hours and 38 minutes.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026
The penumbral shadow is the outer, lighter portion, which only partially blocks sunlight.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
The penumbral shadow is the outer, lighter shadow where only a partial blocking of sunlight occurs.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
After this March event, Earth’s shadow will only skim the moon, creating less impactful partial and penumbral eclipses in late 2026, 2027 and 2028.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The stages of the eclipse include penumbral and umbral phases, which refer to the two main parts of the shadow that the moon casts.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penumbral
Adjective
-
In the darkened foyer, Ember contemplated this unassuming bit of paper, momentarily paralyzed by a mixture of dread and excitement stirred together, an overpowering sensation that oozed from the crown of her head, down the length of her body, then hardened, like a soft golden resin becoming solid.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
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As scientists often find darkened teeth in ancient burials, other factors can contribute to a black appearance, notably the chewing of betel leaves.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
This variety has dusky or grayish-black foliage whose trumpet flowers show off petals ranging from salmon to orange-red to an occasional yellow with orange markings.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
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Oak parquet floors, dusky marble, and custom millwork replace the industrial edge below with something more restrained—still minimal, but warmer and unmistakably domestic.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But best are moonless nights, when shimmering whorls of the Milky Way fill the night and desert creatures emerge to crawl and slither the dunes.—
Anna Zacharias,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Jan. 2026
-
From total solar and lunar eclipses and brilliant planetary conjunctions to iconic meteor showers peaking under moonless night skies and a festive supermoon, there's something for everyone to enjoy.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
1 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The interior worlds of these women remain obscured and their motivations go unexplored.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
-
In an ordinary car with an ordinary dash, all of that would live behind the cluster and relatively obscured from view, or ignored.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Photos of Trump at this year’s World Economic Forum in Switzerland show an even gnarlier darkish bruise on his left hand.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Its 19th-century spire lit up like a matchstick against the darkling sky, its tip cracking and plunging through the ceiling.—
Michael Kimmelman,
New York Times,
6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
More elderly people could find themselves at the mercy of an obscure government program meant to save them from harm and preserve their dignity when their ability to take care of themselves is diminished.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Lyrics in the song include clear references to Taylor’s life and style, and also some more obscure Easter-egg-type reference.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
On school days, that meant waking up in pitch-dark and walking to the bus stop with a flashlight.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Fittingly, the song’s thumping beat is heard twice, real loud, in Rosebush Pruning, Karim Aїnouz’s high-gloss, pitch-dark satire about an American family described by one of its scions as mediocre, vapid egotists, who will never have to work thanks to a large inheritance.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penumbral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penumbral. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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