1
as in shadow
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays
the lunar eclipse began with a subtle darkening of the lunar surface as it passed within the Earth's penumbra
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2
as in veil
something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth
a penumbra of despair fell over the doomed city
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penumbra
Universities have instituted policies that spell out that certain activities, done off the premises and ostensibly outside the penumbra of the University’s authority, will get your butt kicked out of school.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 22 Feb. 2010
Photo: Valerie Terranova Berryman’s conversation with Tennessee Williams exists in the penumbra of her play, but at the Bushwick Starr’s recently opened new space (for which, hip, hip hooray!), the playwright Julia May Jonas is riffing more directly on Arthur Miller.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
The Tesla brand has always been in the shadow of its owner Elon Musk, and more recently that has not been such a positive penumbra for some.
—James Morris, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024
Lacking this, other than emanations and penumbras, how exactly are bond prices supposed to measure NRSRO ratings in basis points?
—Barnet Sherman, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for penumbra 
IEEE Spectrum, 22 Feb. 2010
Photo: Valerie Terranova Berryman’s conversation with Tennessee Williams exists in the penumbra of her play, but at the Bushwick Starr’s recently opened new space (for which, hip, hip hooray!), the playwright Julia May Jonas is riffing more directly on Arthur Miller.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
The Tesla brand has always been in the shadow of its owner Elon Musk, and more recently that has not been such a positive penumbra for some.
—James Morris, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024
Lacking this, other than emanations and penumbras, how exactly are bond prices supposed to measure NRSRO ratings in basis points?
—Barnet Sherman, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for penumbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penumbra
Noun
-
Find out if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow on Groundhog Day: Live How to watch Punxsutawney Phil's prediction When is Groundhog Day?—
Julia Gomez,
USA TODAY,
2 Feb. 2025
-
Punxsutawney Phil woke up on Sunday and saw his shadow, meaning we are destined for six more weeks of winter, according to legend.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
2 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Smith’s hair was let down in loose waves, while a long veil rested on her head.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
People.com,
28 Jan. 2025
-
Doucette wore a long black dress with a black veil.—
Charles Trepany,
USA TODAY,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
For spring 2025, the edgy essential is back and in shades other than jet black.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
31 Jan. 2025
-
Each bag looked different in ways that, Jones told me, can reflect its donor’s health—some had more or fewer red cells, while the plasma ranged in shade from lemonade to Coca-Cola.—
Nicola Twilley,
The New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The bodies were wrapped in shrouds, with blue press vests draped over them.—
Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports,
arkansasonline.com,
27 Dec. 2024
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All that’s peeking out from underneath its shroud is a toe tagged with the Westview Public Library card of stamped dates and a long lock of scarlet (get it?) hair.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
18 Sep. 2024
Noun
-
Shot in inky blackness, Kyle Edward Ball’s film taps into that primal childhood fear of calling out for your parents in the dark and hearing no reply.—
Gayle Sequeira,
Vulture,
20 Jan. 2025
-
Instead of gentle concentric circles, gleaming finishes, or a mesmerizing light show, the ProArt P16 meets us with inky blackness.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
13 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
The frantic search for survivors started under the cloak of icy darkness.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN,
2 Feb. 2025
-
For the late-night show performance, the musician stripped the color from the video feed and showcased the dynamic track in black and white while wearing a hood cloak and glowing eyeglasses.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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These efforts were felt most strikingly on the beach at dinner, when dusk made the blinking lights on the opposite shoreline more apparent.—
Mary Holland,
Robb Report,
20 Jan. 2025
-
Saturn, nearby, will become visible to the naked eye as dusk fades to darkness and remain observable for around three-and-a-half hours past sunset, at which point the pair will sink below the horizon and out of view.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Brutal political assassinations have cast a pall over Guerrero in southwest Mexico.—
Simon Romero,
New York Times,
20 Jan. 2025
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But the chaos that accompanied the withdrawal, including the deaths of 13 American service members, cast a pall over his presidency.—
Alexandra Hutzler,
ABC News,
19 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Penumbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penumbra. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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