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
The writer relies on an omniscient point of view, using foreshadowing and flashbacks as well as multiple locations. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2026 His comments contained a bit of foreshadowing. — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
When asked if these renovations are foreshadowing an upcoming announcement — perhaps of Charlotte hosting a Super Bowl — Coleman said no plans are currently in place. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026 The show opens by foreshadowing a past disaster involving the lighting fixture at the Paris Opéra House, which comes to fruition at the end of Act 1 when the titular Phantom sends it crashing in a climactic fit of rage. — Los Angeles Times, 21 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
  • Margaret and Alice are the forerunners of Lucy and Ethel, and Shakespeare’s comedy, written expressly to entertain, gives us a sense of what an Elizabethan-era situation comedy might look like.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
  • One of the forerunners today in Madeira and the Azores is António Maçanita from Azores Wine Company.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of forerunner
Verb
  • Seat counts have stopped predicting anything, which means the pricing model underneath thirty years of enterprise software is now unstable in both directions, and everybody selling it knows.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • AlphaFold achieved remarkable accuracy at predicting a protein’s likely three-dimensional structure.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of predicting
Noun
  • The models struck the same pose at the InStyle Awards in November 2021, reminding us that everything’s better with a hint of glimmer.
    — Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • But that news won’t capture eyeballs, so the media tend to focus on any hint of bad news.
    — Bill Conerly, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 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
  • But outside spending groups supporting Marshall and opposing Hamilton have already made major television ad buys this month — a precursor to what’s expected to be an expensive election cycle.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Less wealthy associations within and outside the confederation have relied heavily on FIFA funds via Infantino’s FIFA Forward program, the precursor to FFE, which was introduced by him in 2016.
    — Aleks Klosok, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of precursor
Verb
  • The bank reiterated its buy rating on the data services stock and raised its 12-month price target to $540 from $450, implying 23% upside from Wednesday's close.
    — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
  • What outrages Marylanders is that this diabolical plan excludes the Preakness, devaluing it and implying the Triple Crown is irrelevant, if not dead.
    — Stephen J. K. Walters, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of implying
Noun
  • Things are also tough for their friends, Elle (Yasmin Finney) and Tao (William Gao), whose constant bickering seems to be an ominous portent for their on-again-off-again relationship.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
  • The push for the category, which comes after Hot Ones earned Daytime Emmys noms in 2022 and 2023, carries symbolic portent, given the category’s housing of traditional late night; a nomination would truly signal a passing of the torch.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 8 July 2026
Definition of portent
Verb
  • The memorial is funded by private donations, and the Fallen Journalists Memorial Foundation is anticipating to dedicate the memorial in late 2028.
    — Mike Stunson, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026
  • But less accurate data, and less data collected overall, can prevent experts from accurately anticipating future events.
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of anticipating

Browse Nearby Words

foreshadowers
foreshadowing
foreshadowings
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Cite this Entry

“Foreshadowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreshadowing. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on foreshadowing

Nglish: Translation of foreshadowing for Spanish Speakers

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