as in to foreshadow
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
This early embrace of mechanical rhythm prefigured what would later become a foundation of hip-hop and electronic music.
—
Jose Valentino Ruiz, The Conversation, 13 June 2025
Its extreme hostility to the very idea of liberal governance, its skepticism of democracy, and its faith in the primacy of the wealthy over the law all prefigured the way that Trump and Elon Musk would assail key functions of government in 2025.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
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
Jose Valentino Ruiz, The Conversation, 13 June 2025
Its extreme hostility to the very idea of liberal governance, its skepticism of democracy, and its faith in the primacy of the wealthy over the law all prefigured the way that Trump and Elon Musk would assail key functions of government in 2025.
—Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefigure
Verb
-
Forbes senior contributor Christian Weller writes that while the CPI report looks positive, there are troubling areas that could foreshadow larger problems in the coming months.—
Megan Poinski,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
-
This foreshadowed a gradual cooling that would culminate in the most recent ice age.—
Tim Vernimmen,
Smithsonian Magazine,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
Research and advisory firm Gartner predicted in February that by 2027, the average prices of application programming interfaces for genAI will fall to less than 1% of the current average price for the same technology.—
Bernice Ooi,
CNBC,
26 June 2025
-
Even in the Aspen X Games test run, the tool predicted a top 3 order of finish that differed from the betting lines set by oddsmakers.—
David Bloom,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
Billionaire hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman offered to bankroll someone, anyone, who would run against Mamdani, implying his mayoralty would spur a flight with the ultrarich.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
-
An old friend of Donna’s who, it’s implied, became more than friends after her husband left.—
Whitney Friedlander,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
At the same time, those in the southern hemisphere will mark the winter solstice, which heralds the shortest day of 2025 below the equator.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
20 June 2025
-
At the awards, chefs heralded their teams, heritage, and communities.—
Caroline Hatchett,
Robb Report,
19 June 2025
Verb
-
Trade tensions could worsen and tariffs could escalate, some analysts said, while noting the difficulty of anticipating exactly where the levies will land.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
25 June 2025
-
Attentive, Personalized Service From the moment guests arrive, attentive doormen and reception staff recognize them by name and go out of their way to anticipate and address their needs.—
Irene S. Levine,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prefigure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefigure. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share