prefigure

verb

ˌprē-ˈfi-gyər How to pronounce prefigure (audio)
Definition of prefigurenext
as in to foreshadow
to give a slight indication of beforehand the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 prefigure Projected on an obelisk, this narrowest of histories prefigured the commemorative distortions to follow. — Greg Allen, ARTnews.com, 7 June 2026 Alpina was acquired by BMW in 2022, and the first hint of its future was revealed in the form of the Vision BMW Alpina—a design study which prefigures the brand’s new model, which will go to production next year. — Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 21 May 2026 That prefigured, in a much smaller and less consequential way, Iran’s own actions in blocking the Strait of Hormuz during the current crisis. — Ioana Emy Matesan, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026 The horror has come now like a storm— what if this night prefigured the night after death— what if all thereafter was an eternal quivering on the edge of an abyss, with everything base and vicious in oneself urging one forward and the baseness and viciousness of the world just ahead. — Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prefigure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefigure
  1. foreshadow
  2. predict
  3. imply
  4. herald
  5. anticipate
Verb
  • On the title track Chen reaches for the psaltery (a kind of zither without frets), creating a meandering, medieval atmosphere whose ubiquitous electronic background buzz foreshadows the biting screams and blistering bass to come.
    — James Gui, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Weeks before the election, the Congressional Leadership Fund, the super PAC allied with House Speaker Mike Johnson, shifted resources away from Kean's race to other critical contests, foreshadowing the 7th District outcome.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of foreshadow
Verb
  • The model predicted that this effect was concentrated in those cells rather than occurring broadly across other cell types.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2026
  • The report also found that the potential effect of data centers on Fort Worth electric bills is unknown and difficult to predict, and that there is little data surrounding noise levels in data centers aside from anecdotal evidence.
    — Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of predict
Verb
  • The $250 Ring Drone Camera offers exactly what the product’s name implies — the technology to capture moving images from a lens affixed to a small quadcopter drone, according to the company.
    — David K. Li, NBC news, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The underlying implication in much of the criticism was that non-Equity shows are subpar and that hosting them implies a tacit acceptance of the mistreatment of actors.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of imply
Verb
  • The highest points of 2022’s Nymph, Shygirl’s full-length debut, seemed to herald the coronation of an art-pop auteur.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Recently a remarkable and crucial story has come to light about a group of women who helped rescue thousands of men in the Pacific during World War II and whose actions should also be heralded on this day of remembrance.
    — Leah Garrett, New York Daily News, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of herald
Verb
  • These will include a next generation of landers the agency anticipates needing once humans have started to return to the moon regularly.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2026
  • But there were delays that set back their timetable for opening, including significantly more repair work than originally anticipated.
    — Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of anticipate

Browse Nearby Words

prefers
prefigure
prefigured
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Cite this Entry

“Prefigure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefigure. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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