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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
The partial outer shadow is called the penumbra; the full, dark shadow is the umbra.
—
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
For now, we’re held in the sweet penumbra of heaviness.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2025
During a partial solar eclipse, the umbra misses Earth, with only the penumbra — the moon's outer, fuzzier and lighter shadow — striking Earth.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The umbra is a darker inner shadow and the penumbra is a fainter outer shadow, according to NASA.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
For now, we’re held in the sweet penumbra of heaviness.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 16 Dec. 2025
During a partial solar eclipse, the umbra misses Earth, with only the penumbra — the moon's outer, fuzzier and lighter shadow — striking Earth.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The umbra is a darker inner shadow and the penumbra is a fainter outer shadow, according to NASA.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penumbra
Noun
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Observing tips The lunar disk is entirely bereft of shadows during the full moon phase, making this the perfect time to trace the outline of lunar maria — where lava flows filled colossal impact basins billions of years ago before hardening to form sweeping basaltic plains.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
1 May 2026
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The trip was judged a success despite the shadow of the king’s younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who has been stripped of his royal title of Prince Andrew, exiled from public life and put under police investigation over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Noun
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By peering through thick veils of gas and dust, radio astronomers have been able to watch young binary stars orbit around one another in the heart of star-forming clouds — and, in the process, have revealed the stars' masses.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
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Cassie pissily wearing her veil in the limo is kind of a slay.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lucchese had American alligator cowboy boots in a shade called black cherry for sale for $17,000.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
28 Apr. 2026
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The couple made their entrance — arm in arm — with Sonenshein in a tea-length, corseted gown and Vahle in a bespoke suit the shade of a Liguria olive.—
Kit Warchol,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Green burial – defined as the burial of human remains without embalming, contained only in a biodegradable shroud or casket – is legal in all 50 states and Washington, but is only offered by a small share of cemeteries.—
Tanya D. Marsh,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2026
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Set the scene No view of Mount Fuji is ever guaranteed—clouds can roll in, swaths of mist can form a thick shroud, and rain showers can obscure the steep slopes—but on a clear day, the views from Gora Kadan Fuji are absolutely breathtaking.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In it, a crescent of Earth’s blue vitality hovers amid the blackness of space, above a high-definition brownish gray wasteland of lunar craters.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2026
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Together, these two superb artists make much of Yarris constantly seeking the light, as Yarris searches for a way forward from the blackness of death row.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The housekeepers greet me with genuine care, the bartenders create cocktails with panache and smiles, and the doormen and women jauntily pose for pictures in their thick Batman-style winter cloaks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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The picture shows Trump wearing a red cloak with his hand over someone’s forehead, appearing to heal them.—
Charlotte Hazard,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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An elevated public promenade overlooking the Intracoastal will be open from dawn to dusk.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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How Animal Lovers Can Help For readers who have ever bottle-fed a baby animal, comforted a frightened pet or simply paused to watch a deer step out of the woods at dusk, Forest’s story is a familiar kind of heartbreak — and a familiar kind of hope.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Brand’s love letter to Musk casts a pall on the rest of the book, under which the author’s indifference to politics becomes more difficult to ignore.—
Alec Nevala-Lee,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
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The allegations have put a pall over the efforts of the Kenyan mission, which while not successful in returning security and stability to Haiti, has been credited with stopping the situation from completely collapsing.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penumbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penumbra. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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