UMBRAS Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

umbra

noun

ˈəm-brə

Definition of umbra

as in shadows

a time or place of little or no light strange noises were coming from the wooded umbra beyond our campfire

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in shadow

partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays during a solar eclipse observers located within the umbra experience a complete blocking of the sun by the moon

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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 umbra During the early morning hours, the full moon will gradually slip behind the darkest part of the Earth's shadow, or umbra, and take on a reddish hue. — John Tufts, IndyStar, 1 Mar. 2026 The full eclipse, or totality, begins when the moon moves completely into the umbra, turning its usually white surface a dim reddish-orange. — Stefanie Waldek, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026 Totality ends and the process reverses, with the umbra gradually retreating across the lunar surface. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 19 Feb. 2026 For a few fleeting minutes, observers inside the moon’s dark central shadow — the umbra — will see the sun completely covered, revealing the spectacular solar corona and plunging landscapes into an eerie twilight. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for umbra

Recent Examples of Synonyms for umbra

Noun

Dark figures were darting through the shadows—Germans were carrying sacks and pillows to their building.

— Vasily Grossman, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Reflections, shadows and motion blur can all reduce detection confidence.

— Freddy Kuo, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of shadows

Noun

Casting a shadow, though, was that controversy over Balogun’s reinstatement, and the unseemly likelihood politics have butted in where politics don’t belong and should never be.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
Without a connection to Apple, the iPhone is going to be a mere shadow of itself.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026

Definition of shadow

Noun

Even an aggressive plaintiff would know that lingering past dark wouldn’t go over well in court.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 June 2026
News of a glow-in-the-dark Nike Air Foamposite Pro first materialized in November, with early reports of a Summit White/Black colorway enhanced with the glowing treatment.

— Riley Jones, Footwear News, 30 June 2026

Definition of dark

Noun

Along with the main shades in the lineup, there are seven color-correcting options that neutralize, brighten, and leave skin looking more refined.

— Tanya Sharma, InStyle, 4 July 2026
The only figure, man or woman, not shown wearing identical American-flag blue is the poet Phillis Wheatley, who wears a pastel shade and who also happens to be the only Black person featured in the gallery.

— Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 3 July 2026

Definition of shade

Noun

As darkness settled over Washington Square Park, supporters formed circles, waved Ghanaian flags and continued singing Jama into the evening.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
Or perhaps more accurately, like a gleeful romp with friends through a haunted-house attraction at a regional fair, with various creepy creatures leaping suddenly out of the darkness.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026

Definition of darkness

Noun

In the early evening, just before dusk, the sun peeks through the trees and warms the bench.

— Staff Photographer, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Each light fully charges in about five hours of direct sunlight, then automatically turns on at dusk and off at dawn for an effortless set-it-and-forget-it operation.

— Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 July 2026

Definition of dusk

Noun

Experts say that the biggest challenge at that extreme level of blackness is actually measuring it.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 June 2026
In the restaurant, my dad looked at me with the passionate conviction of a man who was confident in his Blackness and wanted nothing more than to pass it on.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 June 2026

Definition of blackness

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ululating

umbra

umbrage

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“Umbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/umbra. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of umbra

noun

Example Sentences

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