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umbra

noun

ˈəm-brə How to pronounce umbra (audio)
Definition of umbranext
1
as in shadows
a time or place of little or no light strange noises were coming from the wooded umbra beyond our campfire

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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

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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 The Earth's shadow, called an umbra, is cast across the moon’s surface, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. — Saleen Martin, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026 For a few fleeting minutes, observers inside the moon’s dark central shadow — the umbra — will see the sun completely covered, revealing the spectacular solar corona and plunging landscapes into an eerie twilight. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026 The full eclipse, or totality, begins when the moon moves completely into the umbra, turning its usually white surface a dim reddish-orange. — Stefanie Waldek, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026 The part of the moon inside the umbra appears very dark. — Isa Almeida, Oklahoman, 2 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for umbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for umbra
  1. shadows
  2. shadow
  3. dark
  4. shade
  5. darkness
  6. dusk
  7. black
  8. blackness
Noun
  • The Supreme Court continues to make consequential rulings in the shadows.
    — Ken B. Morales, ProPublica, 21 Sep. 2026
  • His favorite target, CeeDee Lamb, emerged from the shadows with a breakout game that restores his stature among the NFL’s top wideouts in just one game.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of shadows
Noun
  • Video projections by Rael and Haynes evoke black-and-white shadow puppetry that’s especially effective during the scenes set in Mictlán.
    — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • To passersby, we could easily be mistaken for two teenagers hiding in the shadows.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of shadow
Noun
  • Nothing says horror movie like glow-in-the-dark blood stains in your hotel room.
    — Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Cultural performances in the lounge after dark carry the energy of the day forward, so the soul of the river stays with you even when the ship is still.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of dark
Noun
  • There are molten metallics in approachable shades (gold, silver, bronze) and artsier ones too (rainbow chrome, lilac, fuchsia).
    — Elizabeth Siegel, Allure, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The shoes are crafted from leather in an eggshell shade, with a studded finish and a double-buckle detail strap that fastens across the instep.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of shade
Noun
  • These micro-drones usually crash in low-visibility crisis zones where dust, smoke, or pitch darkness blinds cameras.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
  • In the early morning darkness, FBI agents broke down the door of a two-story townhome in Los Angeles.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of darkness
Noun
  • There are also ways to protect against mosquito bites, including insect repellents containing DEET or picaridin, avoiding outdoor activities at dawn and dusk, and wearing loose fitting long sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The Bank of Japan headquarters stand at dusk on September 14, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of dusk
Noun
  • On Thursday, demonstrators, mostly women, in the Ekurhuleni district where the bodies were found, marched in the streets, donning black.
    — Rael Ombuor The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Lerato Lentsela, one of dozens of people who dressed in black for the memorial run.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of black
Noun
  • In the foreground, the telescope's payload adapter can be seen, while just behind, the orbital observatory floats into the blackness of space with its solar arrays still folded for launch.
    — Brett Tingley, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Totality was extraordinary, with a circle of blackness in the sky.
    — Raf Sanchez, NBC news, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of blackness

Browse Nearby Words

ululating
umbra
umbrage
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Cite this Entry

“Umbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/umbra. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on umbra

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about umbra

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