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
Its extreme hostility to the very idea of liberal governance, its skepticism of democracy, and its faith in the primacy of the wealthy over the law all prefigured the way that Trump and Elon Musk would assail key functions of government in 2025.
—
Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
The widescreen, 35mm format prefigured IMAX and other high-density imagery in a way that still stuns on screen.
—John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025
It is also prefigured (another Biblical device) by Pharaoh’s order, in Exodus, to kill all male babies born to Hebrew mothers.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
Zack Beauchamp, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
The widescreen, 35mm format prefigured IMAX and other high-density imagery in a way that still stuns on screen.
—John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2025
It is also prefigured (another Biblical device) by Pharaoh’s order, in Exodus, to kill all male babies born to Hebrew mothers.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prefigure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefigure
Verb
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While Florida, Colorado, Washington, D.C., California and Washington state experienced the greatest value declines from March to April, the data could foreshadow a larger housing market shift.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 May 2025
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Last summer’s positive readings foreshadowed a modest rebound in deal activity, and spring saw that play out with strong March and April numbers.—
John Walkup,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
Verb
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Something like our turbulence prediction module might someday be inserted into bigger climate models that can do better at predicting things like hurricanes.—
Steve Nadis,
Wired News,
1 June 2025
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Spinrad visited Southern California in late May and was taken aback by the number of people raising concern over the agency’s ability to continue predicting atmospheric river events, with all of their implications on public safety, reservoir operations and hydro power.—
Michael Wilner,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
Verb
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The band sued Brinker International, the parent company of Chili’s Grill & Bar, last July, alleging that the use of the Ill Communication song falsely implied that Beastie Boys endorsed Chili’s.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
22 May 2025
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Unlike his small-time Israeli rivals, the placards implied, Netanyahu was a savvy statesman who punched above his weight on the international stage, thanks to his unaccented English oratory and ability to inveigle the world’s most powerful people.—
Yair Rosenberg,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
Verb
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The pop-rock effort was heralded as a critical triumph at the time, as well as a commercial juggernaut, and it is now regarded as one of the greatest albums ever.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
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He was heralded as the country’s youngest governor when elected at age 37, then became the first Connecticut governor in 200 years to win three four-year terms.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2025
Verb
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In California, the nation’s No. 1 tourist destination, international visits are expected to drop by 9.2% through the year, with international spending anticipated to drop 4.2%, according to a forecast published last month by Visit California and Tourism Economics.—
Michael Wilner,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
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The journalists from El Faro who broke the story fled the country before it was published, anticipating arrest.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prefigure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefigure. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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