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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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of umbra
During a total lunar eclipse, the moon passes through the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, known as the umbra.
—
Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 2025
The umbra is a darker inner shadow and the penumbra is a fainter outer shadow, according to NASA.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Sep. 2025
The part of the moon inside the umbra appears very dark.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Path the moon will travel during the total lunar eclipse
At the center of the umbra, 100% of the moon’s face will be covered by Earth's shadow.
—Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for umbra
Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 5 Sep. 2025
The umbra is a darker inner shadow and the penumbra is a fainter outer shadow, according to NASA.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Sep. 2025
The part of the moon inside the umbra appears very dark.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
Path the moon will travel during the total lunar eclipse
At the center of the umbra, 100% of the moon’s face will be covered by Earth's shadow.
—Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for umbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for umbra
Noun
-
Not as shadows lurking in code prompt chains.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Adams drove the route through the warehouse-y section of Albuquerque that had been chosen for Scene 46, and saw that the way the shadows hit the car would inevitably create a shadow of the camera and of any lighting equipment on Seehorn’s face.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Walk out of a play’s shadows back into the clear light of day without a there to take with you, and even a burning cauldron will become little more than a brief candle.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
-
The events occurred in and around the lawless border of Venezuela and Colombia, where spies, smugglers and gun runners rub shoulders and distrust their own shadow.—
Kevin G. Hall,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Like other dark, leafy green vegetables, beet greens contain nitrates and are high in beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Forget wasteful palettes with unused pans, the universally flattering Gris Doux works for everyday or can be layered to create more intensity after dark.—
Ellie Davis,
Vogue,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Snag them in the playful pistachio green shade while sizes are available from XS to XL, or score them in blue or pink with a far more limited size selection.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Why not start things off by repainting the living room—there are many shades that designers absolutely love for their soothing factor.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The ash of the cigarette glows in the darkness of the truck.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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But even still, the doctors are grappling with the impacts of the conflict, mainly through power outages that leave their hospital in darkness.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The views are stunning, with dense jungle lining the riverbanks and pink dolphins occasionally surfacing around dawn and dusk.—
Aaron Randolph,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The best thing to fight off early sunset melancholia is to try to get outside at dusk, even for a few minutes.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
His handsome face is bruised and broken and a black that is unrecognizable.—
Davon Loeb,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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All of the steel is painted a matte black, to blend into the woody surroundings.—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
One hour becomes two, two become three, my mind straining for answers in the blackness.—
Rowan Jacobsen,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Smoke and blackness enfolded him.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Umbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/umbra. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
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