foreshadow

verb

fore·​shad·​ow fȯr-ˈsha-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce foreshadow (audio)
foreshadowed; foreshadowing; foreshadows

transitive verb

: to represent, indicate, or typify beforehand : prefigure
The hero's predicament is foreshadowed in the first chapter.
foreshadower noun

Examples of foreshadow in a Sentence

Her early interest in airplanes foreshadowed her later career as a pilot. The hero's predicament is foreshadowed in the first chapter.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The show also has a habit of using certain songs to foreshadow particularly tragic moments. Erin Clack, People.com, 11 May 2025 The security threat hanging over the Victory Day parade in Moscow potentially foreshadows the looming challenges for the Kremlin in its ongoing war in Ukraine, which shows precious little sign of abating. Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 8 May 2025 His community was bound together by family, tradition and staunch anti-communist sentiment — which, in a few years, fueled a controversy that foreshadowed a political shift in Little Saigon. Anh Do, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2025 New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman unwillingly foreshadowed what was to come for his team during the early days of spring training. John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foreshadow

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreshadow was in 1577

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foreshadow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreshadow. Accessed 19 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

foreshadow

verb
fore·​shad·​ow -ˈshad-ō How to pronounce foreshadow (audio)
: to give a hint or suggestion of beforehand
foreshadower noun

More from Merriam-Webster on foreshadow

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