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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The show also has a habit of using certain songs to foreshadow particularly tragic moments.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
11 May 2025
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The security threat hanging over the Victory Day parade in Moscow potentially foreshadows the looming challenges for the Kremlin in its ongoing war in Ukraine, which shows precious little sign of abating.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
8 May 2025
Verb
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Ultimately, the company’s ambition is to build a computational model that captures the behaviours of every molecule inside a living cell and to predict how each of these molecules will change with health, disease or exposure to drugs.—
David Prosser,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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Scientists predict that within the next 15 years this ice cap will disappear in summer for the first time in millennia, accelerating global warming.—
Alec Luhn,
Scientific American,
20 May 2025
Verb
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Jokic wasn’t the conniving villain implied by his pregame wardrobe.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
10 May 2025
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Pereira was seemingly addressing frustration, as the post implied he felt disrespected by not getting placement in the main event for UFC 317 this summer.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
Verb
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But the point was enough to secure European football for the first time in three decades, so it should still be heralded.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
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The movie heralds from FilmNation Entertainment’s production label Infrared, J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions, and Assemble Media.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Fans will be eagerly anticipating their next album, which is on the way.—
Adam Davidson,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2025
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Ahmed anticipates that the new Taylor Relaxed Barrel with drawstring details is destined to become an instant wardrobe staple this summer as well.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prefigure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefigure. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
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