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
-
Manufactured between 1960 and 1980, Scouts were beefy 4x4s and a forerunner to the SUV.—
Justin Wingerter,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026 -
With little support for the WHO among Republicans — who control both the House and the Senate — there has been no push from Congress to hold the country to the provision set out by their forerunners.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
21 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
-
Alessandro Michele, at Valentino, was also thinking of how to collide reality and fantasy, staging his collection in nooks inspired by the kaiser panorama, an early 20th century precursor to cinema, in which viewers sat around a circle, staring into a contraption displaying slides.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Passionate about utopian socialism and architecture, Gaudí’s forms and shapes were totally fresh, otherworldly and are sometimes referred to as a precursor of the Surrealist movement, of which Salvador Dalí was a key proponent.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mercedes pulled the wraps off the 2027 S500 4Matic, S580 4Matic, and S580e 4Matic today, heralding a not completely new, but largely refreshed, nipped, and tucked version of the German automaker’s flagship sedan.—
Jerry Perez,
The Drive,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In heralding the occasion with this exclusive interview, the always engaging historian adds a distinguished grace note to the retrospective tone of City & Shore magazine’s 25th Anniversary Issue.—
Greg Carannante,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For Swain, the rise of directs presages nothing less than a revolution in the world’s financial markets.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
1 Nov. 2025
-
The result is chaos, bewilderment and delay that presages rising consumer prices.—
Peter S. Goodman,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
Carol’s favorite, Bella Donna, does not carry the same dark portents.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Tennessee has also started being walloped by snow and ice, with forecasters predicting up to six inches of snow expected from the storm, more than a season's worth in about one day.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
24 Jan. 2026
-
As the National Weather Service in Louisville anticipates the impact of a major winter storm, the agency is predicting dangerous — or even impossible — driving conditions.—
Lillian Metzmeier,
Louisville Courier Journal,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
People crafted narratives out of suspicions, rumors and hints, to fill a desperate need for an explanation.—
M. Gessen,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Whereas Boyd was plain-spoken on purpose, Wheeler’s diction was always elevated and precise, with a hint of sarcasm.—
Nell Freudenberger,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 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 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
