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
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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
Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Feb. 2026 Jesus also washed the feet of his disciples and shared a foreshadowing of Judas’ betrayal at the Garden of Gethsemane. —Marina Johnson, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026
Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 26 Feb. 2026 But the gamesmanship, foreshadowing the adulterous antics of Harold Pinter’s plays, escalates perilously. —Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Noun
Jesus also washed the feet of his disciples and shared a foreshadowing of Judas’ betrayal at the Garden of Gethsemane. —Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Feb. 2026 Jesus also washed the feet of his disciples and shared a foreshadowing of Judas’ betrayal at the Garden of Gethsemane. —Marina Johnson, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
Be Very Afraid is like foreshadowing. —Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 26 Feb. 2026 But the gamesmanship, foreshadowing the adulterous antics of Harold Pinter’s plays, escalates perilously. —Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreshadowing
Noun
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Williams had managed traditional Tex-Mex restaurants that were the forerunner of today’s Mercado Juarez Cafes.— Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Apr. 2026
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The camp is a program of the Woodcraft Rangers, founded by author and naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton, whose pioneering Woodcraft Rangers program was a forerunner to groups such as the Boy Scouts.— Jessie Dax-Setkus, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On Polymarket, three accounts earned $600,000 by correctly predicting the exact time of the Iranian ceasefire.— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2026
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As the 2026 hurricane season approaches, forecasters are predicting a quieter Atlantic with fewer storms.— Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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After starring in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel fans have been wondering where the character would go next, and in a new interview, Reynolds shared some hints.— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
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The ballpark was full, runs were at a premium and when a cool breeze worked its way through the stadium in the late innings Saturday night, there was the slightest hint of October.— Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The rise coincides with a recent crackdown by the Chinese government on the sale of precursors used to make fentanyl.— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
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Mobileye essentially pioneered cameras on cars, creating features such as lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control, precursors to cars driving themselves.— Chris Anderson, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Analysts have average price targets implying upside of about 169% and 134% for AtaiBeckley and Compass, respectively.— Alex Harring, CNBC, 20 Apr. 2026
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In addition to scapegoating Josh, Park is also implying that Lindsay inflated procedure prices and sold customers on unnecessary treatments at Trochos.— Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The company’s example was seen by many as a portent of the AI future.— Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
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Rather than receiving traditional care, however, Hylton was unwittingly plunged into a cold experiment in using remote work to offset hospital staffing shortages, which could be a grim portent in an age of AI automation.— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Redick admitted that there was a freedom to the expectations suddenly being so low – a permanent-marker selection for playoff predictions among sports-debate broadcasts over the past week.— Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
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FanDuel is entering the space in a moment when prediction markets faceintense scrutiny over the risk of insider trading, along with larger ethical questions about the societal impact of letting people bet on elections or geopolitical conflicts.— Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Return on Tangible Common Equity (ROTCE) increased nicely, managing to edge out expectations as the bank closed out the quarter with a higher level of loans and deposits than the Street was anticipating.— Zev Fima, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
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The letter came a day before California’s air regulators were set to release draft updates to the Cap-and-Invest program, with stakeholders anticipating additional changes to the initial January updates.— Chaewon Chung April 13, Sacbee.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foreshadowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/foreshadowing. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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