prefiguring 1 of 2

noun

as in forerunner
something believed to be a sign or warning of a future event the preaching of John the Baptist is generally regarded by Christians as a prefiguring of the ministry of Jesus

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

prefiguring

2 of 2

verb

present participle of prefigure
as in foreshadowing
to give a slight indication of beforehand the first crocus traditionally prefigures the arrival of spring

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prefiguring
Verb
On the city’s West Side, the site of storied clubs such as Silvio’s as well as the Maxwell Street Market, blues musicians developed a style of electric blues in the 1950s that typically included a horn section (prefiguring soul music). — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefiguring
  1. forerunner
  2. foreshadowing
  3. precursor
  4. heralding
  5. presage
  6. predicting
  7. portent
  8. implying
Noun
  • Margaret and Alice are the forerunners of Lucy and Ethel, and Shakespeare’s comedy, written expressly to entertain, gives us a sense of what an Elizabethan-era situation comedy might look like.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
  • One of the forerunners today in Madeira and the Azores is António Maçanita from Azores Wine Company.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of forerunner
Verb
  • Lee saw the events foreshadowing a dark future for his country and maybe the world — changes in technology and wealth leaving workers behind.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026
  • As all of this finale drama is happening around him, Danny gets increasingly drunker, foreshadowing absolutely nothing good coming our way.
    — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 30 July 2026
Definition of foreshadowing
Noun
  • Losing to the Clippers was the precursor to the Jazz blowing up their team a year later; Utah only came out of hibernation this past summer.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • But fantasy sports, an almost quaint precursor to the instantaneous forms of gambling proliferating now, remains hugely prevalent.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of precursor
Verb
  • But the uncertainties around the functionality of Claude’s watermarking may present new challenges, rather than heralding a new era of certainty around AI detection.
    — Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Countless photographers were primed and ready to capture this magnificent display as Earth passed through the densest region of Swift-Tuttle debris trail, heralding the appearance of hundreds of shooting stars.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of heralding
Noun
  • Sometimes, the departure of an underperforming executive or official presages improvements ahead.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
  • But a lack of accountability presages failure for California’s big reform.
    — Rachel Canter, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of presage
Verb
  • Processor defenses leave a tiny opening Modern processors improve performance by predicting which path a program is likely to follow and beginning the work before the correct path is confirmed.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But predicting what will be Roman's greatest accomplishments over the course of its five-year-mission is a tricky business.
    — Joe Palca, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of predicting
Noun
  • His mode of reiteration and attenuation is an ominous portent for the future of fiction.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Things are also tough for their friends, Elle (Yasmin Finney) and Tao (William Gao), whose constant bickering seems to be an ominous portent for their on-again-off-again relationship.
    — David Mack, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Definition of portent
Verb
  • The Honduran man, according to the criminal complaint filed in federal court, called the agent a slur describing a female dog and referenced the midterm elections, implying federal agents could be charged for crimes if Republicans lost power.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Some investors, trying to read the tea leaves, interpreted that as a potential warning that more conservative guidance is on the horizon, implying that a turnaround will likely take more time.
    — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of implying

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prefiguring
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Cite this Entry

“Prefiguring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefiguring. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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