Meanings
plural foreshadowings
- uncountableusuallySynonym of foreshadow (“a suggestion of something in advance”); specifically (usually uncountable, literature, narratology), a literary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story.
The roses blooming before Rose herself bloomed was excellent foreshadowing.
1 more example
As an experienced editor I disapprove of backflashes, foreshadowings and tricksy devices […]
2004, David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas, London: Sceptre (Hodder and Stoughton), →ISBNSynonyms: foreshadow
- gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of foreshadow
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSynonym of foreshadow (“a suggestion of something in advance”); specifically (usually uncountable, literature, narratology), a literary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveindistinctly prophetic
nounthe act of providing vague advance indications; representing beforehand
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From foreshadow (verb) + -ing (suffix forming nouns denoting the act of doing something, an action, or the embodiment of an action; or forming present participles of verbs).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan presagi
- presagiliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Esperanto antaŭfiguro
- antaŭfiguroliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Finnish enteily, ennakointi
- enteilyliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
- ennakointiliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
French augure, présage
- augureliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
- présageliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
German Vorahnung
- Vorahnungliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Greek προοικονομία
- προοικονομία (prooikonomía)literary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Indonesian padahan
- padahanliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Irish tuar
- tuarliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Japanese 伏線
- 伏線 (fukusen)literary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Korean 복선
- 복선 (bokseon)literary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Malay imbas muka
- imbas mukaliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Portuguese augúrio, presságio
- augúrioliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
- presságioliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Russian предзнаменование
- предзнаменование (predznamenovanije)literary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Spanish agüero, augurio
- agüeroliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
- augurioliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
- prefiguraciónliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
- premostraciónliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
- presagioliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Turkish önceden ima etme
- önceden ima etmeliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Welsh rhagfynegi, rhagarwyddo
- rhagfynegiliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
- rhagarwyddoliterary device whereby an author drops hints or symbolic representations of plot developments to come later in the story
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with foreshadowing
All rhymes →Cite this entry
foreshadowing. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/foreshadowing
“foreshadowing.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/foreshadowing. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “foreshadowing,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/foreshadowing.
Source: foreshadowing on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.