UMBRA Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

umbra

noun

ˈəm-brə

Definition of umbra

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 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

Noun

Visions, enhanced with shadows and emotion, came to life on marble through sketching the stone and chiseling and carving entirely by hand.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
This refusal to look directly at the shadows is all the more aggravating given how often The Mosquito Bowl pats itself on the back for being clear-eyed.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of shadows

Noun

Colors were suitably accurate and nicely saturated, and the image offered good contrast across the board from dark to bright scenes, along with impressively good shadow detail and a sense of three-dimensionality in dark scenes.

— M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026
The bear was also recently featured in Southern Living — for a few months each fall, a local mountain casts a shadow shaped like a bear onto the fall foliage below.

— Eva Flowe, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of shadow

Noun

Sent from pillar to post – to the bank’s Accounts, Payments and Claims treading dark puddled basement corridors and joining seemingly interminable lines.

— John Hopewell, Variety, 21 Oct. 2026
Some other notable details are its Super-LumiNova glow-in-the-dark features — numbers 2 and 6 glow different colors to nod to the running back’s jersey number, 26.

— Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of dark

Noun

An all-red treatment defines the Cloudmonster, with a bright hue carrying through the upper and sole unit and darker shades used for the branding.

— Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
Packing over a billion vibrant shades powered by Quantum Dot technology and Dolby Vision HDR, every scene pops with stunning realism.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of shade

Noun

Or to be up high and see that, down below, a town is just a grid spread out on a map and nothing more, a grid that flickers with lights that spark on as the darkness commences.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026
Allure’s guide to permanent makeup describes artists placing individual dots and adjusting size, placement and darkness to produce a natural scatter across the nose and cheeks.

— Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of darkness

Noun

That sky-high figure indicates the display's ability to produce deep blacks alongside bright whites, resulting in stellar quality in both light and dark scenes.

— Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 25 Oct. 2026
Because the decline — particularly that in traditional public schools — is greater than the district anticipated and budgeted for to start the year, the district could potentially seek additional budget cuts to stay in the black.

— Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of black

Browse Nearby Words

ululating

umbra

umbrage

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

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Synonyms of umbra

noun

Example Sentences

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