as in to foreshadow
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prefigure
The horror has come now like a storm— what if this night prefigured the night after death— what if all thereafter was an eternal quivering on the edge of an abyss, with everything base and vicious in oneself urging one forward and the baseness and viciousness of the world just ahead.
—
Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
The Kamm tail, with its upturned spoiler and flat panel adorned with Ferrari’s signature twin round taillights, is a nod to aerodynamics that prefigures the shape of the Lusso’s spiritual successor, the 275 GTB.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026
Military action in Venezuela today without allies may prefigure action tomorrow against allies—for example, to invade and annex Greenland.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
Chess by telegraph also prefigured chess played through other means of telecommunications.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
The Kamm tail, with its upturned spoiler and flat panel adorned with Ferrari’s signature twin round taillights, is a nod to aerodynamics that prefigures the shape of the Lusso’s spiritual successor, the 275 GTB.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026
Military action in Venezuela today without allies may prefigure action tomorrow against allies—for example, to invade and annex Greenland.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
Chess by telegraph also prefigured chess played through other means of telecommunications.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefigure
Verb
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The final photo in the carousel was of an elderly couple standing side by side and looking out at the water, perhaps foreshadowing Lovato and Lutes growing old together.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
11 June 2026
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Michals’s first mature artistic series would foreshadow his later interests.—
Maximilíano Durón,
ARTnews.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Nobody would have predicted the historic 4-1 dismantling of a respected Paraguay team that had beaten Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay in the World Cup qualifying round.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2026
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Enhanced risk is a level 3 out of 5 on the scale for predicting storms.—
Kendrick Calfee
June 13,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
Verb
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Worries about neighborhood gentrification, implying a new tourist destination is all downside.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
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With bitcoin, there will always be winners and losers in exchange which, by its very name, implies only winners.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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And his drive hasn’t faltered since; now, Brunson is heralded for saving the struggling franchise after Saturday’s victory.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
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Trump heralding the agreement as the exact opposite of the JCPOA deal former President Barack Obama agreed to with Iran a decade ago.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 June 2026
Verb
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There was the irony of starting with a tune anticipating the end, and literally just before the start of summer.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
15 June 2026
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The evening faceoff − titled UFC Freedom 250 − has been much anticipated by conservatives and panned by Democratic critics.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prefigure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefigure. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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