as in to foreshadow
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring
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Recent Examples of prefigure
Chess by telegraph also prefigured chess played through other means of telecommunications.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2025
Tragedy strikes many times in this decades-spanning story, in many forms, but the defining event of Grainier’s life sees his home burned to the ground, an event that eerily prefigures the LA fires of early 2025.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 8 Nov. 2025
The dynamic prefigured the White House of Bush 43, which the Veep largely staffed, and substantially dominated.
—Karl Vick, Time, 4 Nov. 2025
These opulent volumes prefigure the label’s high jewelry offering.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2025
Tragedy strikes many times in this decades-spanning story, in many forms, but the defining event of Grainier’s life sees his home burned to the ground, an event that eerily prefigures the LA fires of early 2025.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 8 Nov. 2025
The dynamic prefigured the White House of Bush 43, which the Veep largely staffed, and substantially dominated.
—Karl Vick, Time, 4 Nov. 2025
These opulent volumes prefigure the label’s high jewelry offering.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefigure
Verb
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Bathrooms are expansive and clad in white marble, foreshadowing the scale of the sublime spa across the street.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The moment was foreshadowed a week earlier when Gritty posted a photo on TikTok of the Penguins’ mascot.—
Ryan Brennan
April 23,
Kansas City Star,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Avs have not blown the doors off this team like many pundits predicted, given the chasm between the two clubs in the final NHL standings.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The low-pressure system was predicted to pass through Kern County and into the Los Angeles area in the afternoon, eventually making its way south to Orange County and the Inland Empire.—
Austin Turner,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But that quote implies the chaos always works in the opposite direction to the plan.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
As the title implies, things don’t go well.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Citizen journalism was heralded as an opportunity for nonprofessionals to participate in the creation and selection of news content, upending journalists’ roles as gatekeepers.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
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Employment opportunities will also abound under this moon April's new moon will rise in Aries on April 17 and will herald a surge of excitement and passion.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As The Athletic reported Tuesday, Feliciano and Jones are expected to acquire up to 40 percent of the Padres — not more than half the franchise, as some in the industry had once anticipated.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Hen-egg-sized hail (2 inches) is anticipated with the incoming storm.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prefigure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefigure. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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