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
-
Williams had managed traditional Tex-Mex restaurants that were the forerunner of today’s Mercado Juarez Cafes.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026 -
The camp is a program of the Woodcraft Rangers, founded by author and naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton, whose pioneering Woodcraft Rangers program was a forerunner to groups such as the Boy Scouts.—
Jessie Dax-Setkus,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Or maybe, as some eyebrow-raising posts on social media jokingly teased, foreshadowing a possible papal presidential run?—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The two went public with their romantic relationship in May 2025, foreshadowing a merger of two NFL families.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The rise coincides with a recent crackdown by the Chinese government on the sale of precursors used to make fentanyl.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Mobileye essentially pioneered cameras on cars, creating features such as lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control, precursors to cars driving themselves.—
Chris Anderson,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Analysts are heralding the 2020s as the biggest chance in the word’s relationship to the dollar since 1974, and every day the Iran war continues, the cracks in the old system grow wider and wider.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
There have been few moments this season when at least one of them was not on the court, heralding the ball while running the offense.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 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
-
The company’s example was seen by many as a portent of the AI future.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Rather than receiving traditional care, however, Hylton was unwittingly plunged into a cold experiment in using remote work to offset hospital staffing shortages, which could be a grim portent in an age of AI automation.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On Polymarket, three accounts earned $600,000 by correctly predicting the exact time of the Iranian ceasefire.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
As the 2026 hurricane season approaches, forecasters are predicting a quieter Atlantic with fewer storms.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After starring in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel fans have been wondering where the character would go next, and in a new interview, Reynolds shared some hints.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The ballpark was full, runs were at a premium and when a cool breeze worked its way through the stadium in the late innings Saturday night, there was the slightest hint of October.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Prefiguring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefiguring. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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