foreshadowing 1 of 2

noun

fȯr-ˈsha-də-wiŋ How to pronounce foreshadowing (audio)
Definition of foreshadowingnext
as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event the hero's strange encounter with a grave digger is often seen as a foreshadowing of his own death

Synonyms & Similar Words

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foreshadowing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of foreshadow
as in predicting
to give a slight indication of beforehand a series of small tremors that foreshadowed the massive earthquake the next day

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 foreshadowing
Noun
What drags the installment down, however, is the sheer predictability and lack of dissent, with seven out of the nine votes being unanimous — a foreshadowing of seasons to come. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026 The late-May timing of the FISU announcement could serve as consequential foreshadowing of the International Skating Union’s (ISU) annual congress. — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Verb
The regulatory move was seen as foreshadowing a wider approval for these types of products on equities. — Yun Li, CNBC, 27 July 2026 In May, Brink told Footwear News that the P400 Low was well-equipped for her style of play and that the 740 was one of her favorite off-duty shoes — perhaps foreshadowing the Malibu Melt pack that was to come. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreshadowing
  1. forerunner
  2. predicting
  3. hint
  4. prefiguring
  5. precursor
  6. implying
  7. portent
  8. anticipating
Noun
  • Koslow’s screen career began in 1976 as the writer of the film Lifeguard, a ’70s-era Baywatch forerunner starring a hunky Sam Elliott and Anne Archer.
    — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Rather than try to replicate his forerunners’ styles of success, Ternus has so far played to his own strengths—which are also those of Apple, a company that first and foremost builds beautiful products that spark productivity, creativity, and joy.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of forerunner
Verb
  • Next year will see more classic accessories used in less traditional ways with Whatnot predicting shoppers will reuse pieces that are in their own closets.
    — Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • When the year started, investors were predicting a slew of AI companies going public, including SpaceX, Anthropic and OpenAI.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of predicting
Noun
  • The two remain royals, but growing speculation hints that once Prince William ascends the throne, that might change.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Yet other separatist movements in Canada appear to have taken the hint.
    — Max Saltman, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of hint
Verb
  • On the city’s West Side, the site of storied clubs such as Silvio’s as well as the Maxwell Street Market, blues musicians developed a style of electric blues in the 1950s that typically included a horn section (prefiguring soul music).
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
Definition of prefiguring
Noun
  • The three have also introduced tax plans that could be precursors to 2028 platforms.
    — Jared Ochacher, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Perhaps the clearest precursor to the complicated racial dynamics of deepfake memes is what happened on TikTok at the turn of the decade.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of precursor
Verb
  • Ehrlich rates Netflix a buy with a $90 price target, implying 31% upside over the coming 12 months.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of implying
Noun
  • Eager to interpret the gods’ will—surely, stones that trailed light must hold sacred portent—the Romans consulted the Sibylline Books.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Grâce à la merveilleuse découverte de la Science Chrétienne, nos prières pour le monde sont efficaces et portent leurs fruits.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of portent
Verb
  • Fisher comes advertised as a high-IQ linebacker with a knack for anticipating plays before the snap.
    — Pete Sweeney, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Utilities have no shortage of operational information at hand; the challenge is to connect it with predictive analysis, so operators can move beyond reacting to failures and toward anticipating them.
    — Charlie Sanchez, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of anticipating

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Cite this Entry

“Foreshadowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreshadowing. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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