prefiguring 1 of 2

noun

as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event the preaching of John the Baptist is generally regarded by Christians as a prefiguring of the ministry of Jesus

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

prefiguring

2 of 2

verb

present participle of prefigure
as in foreshadowing
to give a slight indication of beforehand the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 prefiguring
Verb
On the city’s West Side, the site of storied clubs such as Silvio’s as well as the Maxwell Street Market, blues musicians developed a style of electric blues in the 1950s that typically included a horn section (prefiguring soul music). — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefiguring
  1. forerunner
  2. foreshadowing
  3. precursor
  4. heralding
  5. presage
  6. predicting
  7. portent
  8. implying
Noun
  • Margaret and Alice are the forerunners of Lucy and Ethel, and Shakespeare’s comedy, written expressly to entertain, gives us a sense of what an Elizabethan-era situation comedy might look like.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
  • One of the forerunners today in Madeira and the Azores is António Maçanita from Azores Wine Company.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of forerunner
Verb
  • Throughout the season, there seems to be foreshadowing that something bad might happen to Robby.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 16 Aug. 2026
  • As all of this finale drama is happening around him, Danny gets increasingly drunker, foreshadowing absolutely nothing good coming our way.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 30 July 2026
Definition of foreshadowing
Noun
  • In this telling, Ivan appears as a precursor to Stalin and other ruinous Russian despots.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • In the meantime, fans must endure another six weeks of this slog, which might just be a precursor.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of precursor
Verb
  • Countless photographers were primed and ready to capture this magnificent display as Earth passed through the densest region of Swift-Tuttle debris trail, heralding the appearance of hundreds of shooting stars.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Roman Abramovich, the Russian oligarch, bought Chelsea in 2003, heralding a new era of financialization and oligarchic control.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of heralding
Noun
  • Sometimes, the departure of an underperforming executive or official presages improvements ahead.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
  • But a lack of accountability presages failure for California’s big reform.
    — Rachel Canter, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of presage
Verb
  • Coming off a season in which the Group of 5 sent two teams to the College Football Playoff, predicting what will happen in 2026 is more difficult than ever.
    — Chris Vannini, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Analysts who spoke to ABC News acknowledged the difficulty in predicting when the most severe effects of the ballooning debt may materialize but warned that regardless of the answer, the current trajectory is unsustainable.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of predicting
Noun
  • Things are also tough for their friends, Elle (Yasmin Finney) and Tao (William Gao), whose constant bickering seems to be an ominous portent for their on-again-off-again relationship.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • The push for the category, which comes after Hot Ones earned Daytime Emmys noms in 2022 and 2023, carries symbolic portent, given the category’s housing of traditional late night; a nomination would truly signal a passing of the torch.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 8 July 2026
Definition of portent
Verb
  • That is a fairly hot SPAC, implying a value for Agility somewhere near $4 billion.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • On Tuesday, Davidson upgraded Duolingo to buy from neutral, lifting its 12-month price target on the stock to $160 from $130, implying 23% upside from Monday's close.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of implying

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Cite this Entry

“Prefiguring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefiguring. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of prefiguring for Spanish Speakers

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