as in to foreshadow
to give a slight indication of beforehand
the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prefigure
Woody’s facial-recognition research in the 1960s prefigured all these technological breakthroughs and their queasy ethical implications.
—
Shaun Raviv, WIRED, 21 Jan. 2020
The index, which measures wholesale prices – and thus generally prefigures changes in the CPI – was unchanged in September from August, defying expectations from a Dow Jones survey of a 0.1% increase.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2024
Westchester County during the Revolutionary War prefigured the Wild West before that concept had entered a dime novelist’s mind.
—Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
The film, with a screenplay by Buck Henry, is a biting satire of the American tabloid mentality and in some ways prefigures the contemporary reality-show mind-set of fame at whatever cost.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for prefigure 
Shaun Raviv, WIRED, 21 Jan. 2020
The index, which measures wholesale prices – and thus generally prefigures changes in the CPI – was unchanged in September from August, defying expectations from a Dow Jones survey of a 0.1% increase.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2024
Westchester County during the Revolutionary War prefigured the Wild West before that concept had entered a dime novelist’s mind.
—Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024
The film, with a screenplay by Buck Henry, is a biting satire of the American tabloid mentality and in some ways prefigures the contemporary reality-show mind-set of fame at whatever cost.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for prefigure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefigure
Verb
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Shortly thereafter, Biden pardoned five of his family members, including his brother James, a move that was foreshadowed in the weeks before leaving office.—
Kaelan Deese,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
20 Jan. 2025
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Not to foreshadow the end of Dellinger, but there was this great message that the enlightened are not welcome here.—
Abbey White,
The Hollywood Reporter,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Few could have predicted the lineup of artists chosen to perform, but Snoop Dogg, Nelly, Soulja Boy, and Rick Ross—four figures deeply ingrained in the fabric of hip-hop—are in the number of artists slated to perform to mark this controversial moment in history.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
20 Jan. 2025
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All three investors predict that crude oil prices will rise this time around.—
Lisa Kailai Han,Gabriel Cortés,
CNBC,
20 Jan. 2025
Verb
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As its name implies, the flattering silhouette has a low waistline.—
Isabel Garcia,
People.com,
22 Jan. 2025
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Representing opera in games, especially in the style found in Assassin’s Creed and Hitman, is technically tricky and not undertaken lightly—likely implying a sincere belief by the game makers in its significant value for the game experience.—
Angelica Frey,
JSTOR Daily,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The project heralds from writer Nick Zigler, whose credits include the Chucky and Purge TV series, and director David Straiton (Narcos).—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
30 Jan. 2025
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It has been heralded as the solution to a wide range of challenges, with organizations like KPMG suggesting the approach may be a cure for talent shortages.—
René Janssen,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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An attack on trans people’s identification documents in the early hours of Trump’s new term had been widely anticipated.—
Nico Lang,
Them,
20 Jan. 2025
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Withdrawal from the agreement was anticipated to be among Trump’s first actions in office, which are expected to focus in large part on energy and environmental policy.—
Zack Budryk,
The Hill,
20 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near prefigure
Cite this Entry
“Prefigure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefigure. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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