foreshadow

American  

[fawr-shad-oh, fohr-] / fɔrˈʃæd oʊ, foʊr- /

verb (used with object)

1. to show or indicate beforehand; prefigure.

   Political upheavals foreshadowed war.

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foreshadow British  

/ fɔːˈʃædəʊ /

verb

1. (tr) to show, indicate, or suggest in advance; presage

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Other Word Forms

• foreshadower noun

Etymology

Origin of foreshadow

First recorded in 1570–80; fore- + shadow

Example Sentences

The Tokyo figures, which often foreshadow nationwide trends, showed price pressures easing at the start of 2026.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a move that foreshadowed Parton’s future as a feminist firebrand of her time, she contracted a lawyer and found a room for her daughters and herself in the Marlboro Hotel in Boston.

From The Wall Street Journal

I wish I’d noted that line as foreshadowing, but just like any good mystery, the clues are only evident in hindsight.

From Los Angeles Times

Immediately after Goldman and Apple launched the card, rival issuers looked with raised eyebrows at some of the terms, foreshadowing issues that would come up in the deal talks in recent years.

From The Wall Street Journal

The experience of Woodies residents foreshadow what other communities across America could experience as the frequency of costly natural disasters increases.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• augur
• foretell
• imply
• portend
• predict
• prefigure
• presage