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
Relevance
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.
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Recent Examples of foreshadowing
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
In a possible foreshadowing of the teenage years to come, Timberlake and his boys zoned out while playing video games.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
In response, Offset tossed Grayson Waller over a table, foreshadowing Evans’ ultimate victory.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Noun
The drive from Manhattan to Skaneateles was the perfect foreshadowing for the property.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
In a possible foreshadowing of the teenage years to come, Timberlake and his boys zoned out while playing video games.
—Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
But the gamesmanship, foreshadowing the adulterous antics of Harold Pinter’s plays, escalates perilously.
—Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
In response, Offset tossed Grayson Waller over a table, foreshadowing Evans’ ultimate victory.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for foreshadowing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreshadowing
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
The Metropolitan Mosquito Control District (MMCD) released its latest forecast for the mosquito season, predicting a slow start before a spike in early July.—
Ashley Grams,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Jackie made lots and lots of money predicting the weather, erecting things, or playing the numbers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The air smells damp and jungly (in the best possible way) and is sweetened with a hint of frangipani.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Researchers are now exploring Greenland shark genetics for clues about aging, finding hints of enhanced DNA repair and cellular maintenance that could slow aging at a fundamental level.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In March, state media reported that China arrested seven people in an operation targeting traffickers of fentanyl precursors, according to the Reuters news agency.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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The mission is a precursor to future Artemis launches that will rehearse rendezvous and docking maneuvers with the program's lunar landers, and eventually land astronauts on the lunar surface.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Market pricing is implying no moves in either direction before the end of the year.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
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In a response posted to social media, Kennedy hit back at the pediatrics academy's criticism, implying that corporate pharmaceutical funders influenced the organization's views.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Somewhere in there was portent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Mar. 2026
-
This was only a portent of things to come — the protests were dwarfed by massive protests and riots against the regime in September 2022-2023, then the largest protests in December 2025 to January 2026.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The crypto traders first moved on to gold, and then left the precious metal and went to prediction markets.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The vacation prediction yielded similar results.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Kelly said the whole Artemis II crew is excited and eagerly anticipating their lunar journey.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
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The clip shows a man pulling back worn carpet in a Victorian house, anticipating intricate antique flooring.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foreshadowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreshadowing. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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