1
as in shadows
a time or place of little or no light
strange noises were coming from the wooded umbra beyond our campfire
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shadow
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays
during a solar eclipse observers located within the umbra experience a complete blocking of the sun by the moon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 umbra
During the early morning hours, the full moon will gradually slip behind the darkest part of the Earth's shadow, or umbra, and take on a reddish hue.
—
John Tufts, IndyStar, 1 Mar. 2026
During this event, the entire moon passes through the Earth's umbra (the darkest part of its shadow), causing the moon to appear darkened or reddened.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 26 Feb. 2026
Totality ends and the process reverses, with the umbra gradually retreating across the lunar surface.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
The umbra is the inner, darker shadow, where sunlight is fully blocked from reaching the Moon’s surface.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for umbra
John Tufts, IndyStar, 1 Mar. 2026
During this event, the entire moon passes through the Earth's umbra (the darkest part of its shadow), causing the moon to appear darkened or reddened.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 26 Feb. 2026
Totality ends and the process reverses, with the umbra gradually retreating across the lunar surface.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026
The umbra is the inner, darker shadow, where sunlight is fully blocked from reaching the Moon’s surface.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for umbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for umbra
Noun
-
However, the actor does most of the heavy lifting, even as Nemes’ aesthetic approach drowns the frame in striking shadows — a contrast made deep and inviting by Mátyás Erdély’s 35mm photography.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
17 May 2026
-
Craters, shadows and rugged lunar terrain that were barely visible to the naked eye suddenly came alive in remarkable detail.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Craters, shadows and rugged lunar terrain that were barely visible to the naked eye suddenly came alive in remarkable detail.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
15 May 2026
-
His new film Fatherland, like Cold War and Ida, is shot in a lustrous monochrome that turns shadows into punctuation marks and sunbeams into something holy, and that makes its performers, chief among them an incredible Sandra Hüller, look lit from within.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Guests can reserve a time to make their own art too and choose to make a traditional, glow-in-the-dark, or pumpkin ornament.—
Erin Gifford,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
-
Even the resort's concrete pathways serve the mission—instead of traditional lights, they are bordered by the faint green and blue light of glow-in-the-dark pebbles.—
Michael d'Estries,
Travel + Leisure,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Available in four neutral shades designed to hide beneath a sheer skirt, these easy-to-slip-on shorts will save you from any wardrobe malfunctions.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
20 May 2026
-
Last month, Miami commissioners had a closed-door attorney-client session known as a shade meeting to discuss the pension lawsuit, indicating that a potential settlement was on the horizon.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
Emerging from the darkness was Fabian Aichner.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
Thus begins their quest down a blood-red road into their father’s heart of darkness, which takes them from what seems to be the Deep South to the Western desert.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Does typically spend the day away from their fawns to forage, returning at dusk.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
Everything now centered on his homecoming, when the family would celebrate by breaking the dawn-to-dusk fast of Ramadan with a feast.—
Dan Barry,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Snag them in a versatile black, or opt for something a little lighter for summer, like this pair with a touch of electric blue.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
-
Instead of soft neutrals, the color palette is black and white, with the Montegranaro splatterware rendered in black, and the Bevagna collection of ceramics adorned with a stately black rim detail.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The aurora australis can be seen below as a stream of green and pink light hovering over our planet against the blackness of space.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
15 May 2026
-
The activity is not unlike the way US and Soviet submarines tailed one another in the Cold War, but instead of running silent and running deep, highly reflective satellites easily stand out against the inky blackness of space.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Umbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/umbra. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
