foreshadowing

noun

fore·​shad·​ow·​ing fȯr-ˈsha-də-wiŋ How to pronounce foreshadowing (audio)
plural foreshadowings
: an indication of what is to come
If the history of the world were a novel, the events so strikingly chronicled in the photographs in this book … would seem a foreshadowing of the recent events …Ralph Novak
On this merry Christmas evening, however, no fears or dim foreshadowings of any coming event clouded our hearts or faces.Lucy Maud Montgomery
also : the use of such indications (as in a work of literature)
And, further, Rose is a genuine cliff-hanger, or page-turner, full of foreshadowing … and all the tried and tricky methods of creating suspense. John Simon

Examples of foreshadowing in a Sentence

the hero's strange encounter with a grave digger is often seen as a foreshadowing of his own death
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Some recipients responded to the texts with anger and others with a sense of humor, but many agree that the messages seem to be a bleak foreshadowing. Char Adams, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024 Daemon sees White Walkers marching in the North among other major Thrones moments, as well as important foreshadowing for what's potentially to come in House of the Dragon. Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2024 The pic opened well ahead of expectations in a foreshadowing of better days to come. Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Sep. 2024 Choreographing with Jocelyn’s baggage center stage also allowed McNeely to incorporate some foreshadowing of the overall narrative and symbolism behind her character and her experience as a pop star. Meredith Woerner, Variety, 8 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for foreshadowing 

Word History

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreshadowing was in 1587

Dictionary Entries Near foreshadowing

Cite this Entry

“Foreshadowing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreshadowing. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

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