as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event
the preaching of John the Baptist is generally regarded by Christians as a prefiguring of the ministry of Jesus
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in foreshadowing
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefiguring
Noun
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The city had a history of assimilating such yearners, most notably Madonna, Swift’s forerunner and her own Middle American transplant success story.
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The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery.
Verb
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In retrospect, this sounds like foreshadowing … or at least a good omen.
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Moore’s wartime Shelter Drawings depict families sheltering in the London Underground during air raids, while foreshadowing the abstract, organic forms of his later sculpture.
Noun
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Those resolutions are considered a precursor to the Declaration of Independence.
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Feeding peanuts to the fans evolved, but the early days, whether for the precursor to Aramark or the work of Stevens, were all about a few simple items.
Verb
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By summer 1781, the states had ratified the Articles of Confederation, heralding the new federal government but making no provisions to abolish slavery.
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There has been an outpouring of support on social media for those who stopped to help, heralding their bravery and selflessness.
Noun
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Sometimes, the departure of an underperforming executive or official presages improvements ahead.
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But a lack of accountability presages failure for California’s big reform.
Verb
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But predicting how things will change decades from now is a more daunting task than embracing a gauzy promise.
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That’s why Jim had been stepping up his calls for Meta to start a cloud business , predicting the struggling stock would soar in response.
Noun
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Always alert to mood swings, Hollywood this week is coping with some dauntingly positive portents.
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But there is reason for hope, because the season-one finale of Widow’s Bay is like a beacon in the dark, and all the signs and portents are lining up.
Verb
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The consensus target is more than 6% lower than Macy’s trading price, implying some downside.
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The Club has a buy-equivalent 1 rating and a $1,300 price target, implying a more than 14% upside from Wednesday's close.
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Cite this Entry
“Prefiguring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefiguring. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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