as in to anticipate
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the strife in Bloody Kansas in the 1850s adumbrated the civil war that would follow
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Recent Examples of adumbrate
In between, works by contemporaries complicate superficial ideas about his meteoric genius, and small, delicate drawings teem with an abundance of ideas — paintings never made, thoughts adumbrated then abandoned.
—
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2019
Nothing in America’s tepid 19th-century contributions to European classical music adumbrated it; nor did the homely and sometimes hokey popular songs of Stephen Foster.
—Heather Mac Donald, National Review, 22 Aug. 2019
The helicopter crash, on the other hand, is a narrative dead end, merely adumbrating the portrait that Mr. Davenport will draw of Mr. Bezos as unflappable.
—Randall Stross, WSJ, 15 Apr. 2018
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2019
Nothing in America’s tepid 19th-century contributions to European classical music adumbrated it; nor did the homely and sometimes hokey popular songs of Stephen Foster.
—Heather Mac Donald, National Review, 22 Aug. 2019
The helicopter crash, on the other hand, is a narrative dead end, merely adumbrating the portrait that Mr. Davenport will draw of Mr. Bezos as unflappable.
—Randall Stross, WSJ, 15 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adumbrate
Verb
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That said, depending on how things unfold in training camp, the next phase of the franchise could begin sooner than initially anticipated.—
Kevin McCormick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 July 2025
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In court filings, Pryor anticipated, and attempted to quell, the timing problem by arguing he was required to cede control of his NIL in perpetuity.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
19 July 2025
Verb
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The film was divisive from the jump, with some critics saying Aster’s film is incendiary on purpose – meant to rile conspiracy theorists, incite liberal outrage and foreshadow the inevitability of a second Trump term.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
22 July 2025
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The eagle’s intent watching of the tourists might have foreshadowed the aggression, Miranda says.—
Joshua Rapp Learn,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Rain showers and periodic storms are possible every day through Tuesday before humidity and heat were expected to build again in the Chicago area, the weather service predicted.—
William Tong,
Chicago Tribune,
19 July 2025
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The National Weather Service in Indianapolis predicted strong and potentially severe thunderstorms Saturday afternoon into the evening, and the rain has just arrived.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
19 July 2025
Verb
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This early embrace of mechanical rhythm prefigured what would later become a foundation of hip-hop and electronic music.—
Jose Valentino Ruiz,
The Conversation,
13 June 2025
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Its extreme hostility to the very idea of liberal governance, its skepticism of democracy, and its faith in the primacy of the wealthy over the law all prefigured the way that Trump and Elon Musk would assail key functions of government in 2025.—
Zack Beauchamp,
Vox,
7 Dec. 2018
Verb
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What distinguishes them from other kinds of higher-ed institutions is their first priority, which is, as their name implies, research.—
Tyler Austin Harper,
The Atlantic,
21 July 2025
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At the first Coldplay concert since the apparent infidelity incident, Martin gently reminded the audience that their attendance implies an understanding that they may be filmed.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
21 July 2025
Verb
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Self-published by Webber in 2012, Easy was heralded as a groundbreaking work in the new adult genre which was starting to emerge at that time.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
14 July 2025
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Qualifying seniors will get a bigger federal income tax deduction under the Big, Beautiful Bill that’s now law, and the Trump administration is heralding the changes as a big deal.—
David Lightman
Updated July 14,
Sacbee.com,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Wind gusts of up to 50 mph and pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) are foreseen.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
18 July 2025
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The bank foresees the lingerie retailer falling an additional 14%.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Adumbrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adumbrate. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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