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
as in foreshadowing
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefiguring
Noun
-
Sheila Bridges also comes to mind as such a forerunner for our community, embracing the beauty of our heritage and culture.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
11 Feb. 2026 -
The forerunner of British Invasion took the summit of American entertainment, which was a huge deal across generations.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Francesca is visibly flustered in Michaela’s presence, foreshadowing a future connection.—
Bailey Bujnosek,
InStyle,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Their Greatest Hits also holds another unique place in popular music history as the first record to receive an RIAA platinum certification in 1976, foreshadowing its status in 2026.—
Prof. Mike Alleyne Ph.D,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Built from abundant molecular precursors, these polymer systems offer intrinsic structural flexibility alongside tunable electrochemical properties.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The move is often regarded as a precursor to actively intervening in currency markets.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That will be especially true this weekend when the Lake Nona Art Festival returns for its second annual event, heralding the talents and creations of 100 fine artists from Florida and beyond.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Feb. 2026
-
There are also celebrations heralding the Year of the Horse in Fountain Valley and Santa Ana on Saturday.—
Heather McRea,
Oc Register,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The company is facing similar litigation in Nevada — and while the injunction is only temporary, and focuses on sports betting, the legal action presages the broader efforts by states to protect the lucrative revenue gambling brings in.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
For Swain, the rise of directs presages nothing less than a revolution in the world’s financial markets.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
1 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
By the end of 1857, no one knew the crack-up of the Union was coming in three years, or that the nation would be in a civil war in four, but the portents were bleak.—
Jake Lundberg,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
-
If that is the case, the Ring Nebula could be a portent of what awaits Earth in around 5 billion years when the sun runs out of fuel for nuclear fusion and puffs out to become a red giant.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The modern era is full of those predicting that the industrialization of the housing industry is just a few years away, only to be proved wrong.—
Ben Christopher,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson had just trounced Michael Dukakis in the Michigan presidential primary — despite polls predicting Dukakis would win easily.—
Suzy Khimm,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Fans are buzzing about an Act III album release date, every potential hint will be fully examined—and that includes her nails!—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Their hardware not only adds a hint of shine to the monochromatic outfit but also keeps the outfit fresh and unexpected.—
Shelby Comroe,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Prefiguring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefiguring. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
