as in to foreshadow
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prefigure
The widescreen, 35mm format prefigured IMAX and other high-density imagery in a way that still stuns on screen.
—
John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025
It is also prefigured (another Biblical device) by Pharaoh’s order, in Exodus, to kill all male babies born to Hebrew mothers.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025
It is also prefigured (another Biblical device) by Pharaoh’s order, in Exodus, to kill all male babies born to Hebrew mothers.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefigure
Verb
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In the first act, a handkerchief dangles in front of the audience which leads to foreshadowing in the second act.—
Aleah Wright,
Essence,
23 Apr. 2025
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Watching the earlier ephemerals foreshadows more beauty to unfold in the next several weeks.—
Sheryl De Vore,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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No one predicted that diminutive quarterback Dillon Gabriel would go in the top 100 picks, but the Browns selected the Oregon passer at No. 94 Friday night.—
Zac Jackson,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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Google is predicting a spike in search volumes this month for terms related to the recession that came to define the late 2000s.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
26 Apr. 2025
Verb
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That same year, István Hegedűs, a former politician who had served in parliament alongside Orbán, read an article in a pro-Fidesz newspaper which implied that only the Party’s generosity enabled C.E.U. to stay in Budapest.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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These stories imply that this person did this remarkable thing, so anyone else can do it, too.—
Dmitry Malin,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Verb
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It was heralded as a watershed moment, a legally binding document to transform a police department with a troubled history.—
Natasha Dartigue,
Baltimore Sun,
23 Apr. 2025
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The Commonwealth is heralded as a national bellwether, like clockwork every four years.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Trustees anticipate that Medicare will face a substantial financial shortfall.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Wind gusts of up to 50 mph and pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) are anticipated.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prefigure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefigure. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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