1
as in shadows
a time or place of little or no light
strange noises were coming from the wooded umbra beyond our campfire
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2
as in shadow
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays
during a solar eclipse observers located within the umbra experience a complete blocking of the sun by the moon
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Recent Examples of umbra
The eclipse reaches totality as the full moon moves into the darkest part of Earth's shadow, called the umbra.
—
Joe Hernandez, NPR, 11 Mar. 2025
Plan to start capturing images during the partial phase to document the moon’s transition into the Earth’s umbra, but save most of your efforts for totality.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Viewers in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile experienced totality as the moon passed entirely within the darkest part of Earth's shadow, or umbra, so that the sun was completely blocked.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 25 Mar. 2025
What will happen beginning Thursday night is a total lunar eclipse, meaning the entire moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, an area known as the umbra.
—Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for umbra
Joe Hernandez, NPR, 11 Mar. 2025
Plan to start capturing images during the partial phase to document the moon’s transition into the Earth’s umbra, but save most of your efforts for totality.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Viewers in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile experienced totality as the moon passed entirely within the darkest part of Earth's shadow, or umbra, so that the sun was completely blocked.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 25 Mar. 2025
What will happen beginning Thursday night is a total lunar eclipse, meaning the entire moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, an area known as the umbra.
—Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for umbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for umbra
Noun
-
Francis’ shadow looms large, but ultimately, Pope Leo XIV is the successor of Peter, the first pope, not Francis, the most recent one.—
Aryn Baker,
Time,
9 May 2025
-
The rift had also cast a shadow at the company’s shareholders’ meeting last month.—
Jonathan Burgos,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
Noun
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And although California dealt with brief rolling blackouts during an August 2020 heat wave, the power grid has been remarkably stable the last few years, thanks in part to an influx of large-scale, lithium-ion batteries that store solar energy for after dark.—
Sammy Roth,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2025
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Taking a dark, in depth look at Vecna’s origins with spectacular on stage visuals, this show is everything a Stranger Things fan is looking for.—
Alicia Lansom,
Refinery29,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
The tint blends in nicely with my skin (a deeper shade is available, too) and adds a healthy, nongreasy glow.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
-
This Milani foundation is available in more than 30 shades.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
9 May 2025
Noun
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And give your eyes about 20 to 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness — without looking at your phone — so meteors are easier to spot.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
3 May 2025
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Dark Sky International, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting natural darkness, has been fighting to conserve these dwindling celestial sanctuaries for more than 30 years.—
Michael D'Estries,
Travel + Leisure,
2 May 2025
Noun
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While people riding horses is a frequent trope for the genre, several moments set at dusk or against a cloudy sky deftly capture the movie’s melancholic mood.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
-
Venice, Italy: Resort 2010 Courtesy of Chanel The location: A boardwalk along Venice’s Lido at dusk along which guests were seated on sun beds in tented cabanas.—
Steff Yotka,
Vogue,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Flaunt this fun, floral style, or opt for their best-selling classic black.—
Meg Donohue,
Town & Country,
31 Jan. 2023
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Take your pick from black to mocha to crisp, winter white.—
Taylor Jean Stephan,
Peoplemag,
31 Jan. 2023
Noun
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Flying your favorite spacecraft is as simple as plopping down in the captain’s chair to engage in some hairy dogfights and clandestine patrols over strange worlds or the inky cosmic blackness as the gameplay shifts from a standard FPS to a third-person perspective.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
5 Mar. 2025
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Perry and crew experienced a few minutes of weightlessness and got to see Earth against the blackness of space.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Glad to enjoy a win in the twilight of the Ovi era with some beautiful goals from the big man.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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In the twilight of his minor-league hockey career, longtime Kansas City Blades winger Pat Ferschweiler had a nice plan to make use of his bachelor’s degree in finance from Western Michigan University.—
Vahe Gregorian,
Kansas City Star,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Umbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/umbra. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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