Adumbration

An adumbration is a vague, sketchy, or imperfect representation or indication of something. It can refer to a shadowy outline, a hint, or a foreshadowing of an event or idea that is not yet fully developed or understood. adumbration often implies a lack of clarity or detail, a subtle suggestion rather than a complete unveiling. It can also pertain to the act of overshadowing or casting a shadow over something, figuratively or literally. The term can be applied to art, literature, philosophy, or any field where the partial representation of something is employed.

Adumbration meaning with examples

• The artist's preliminary sketches were merely an adumbration of the final masterpiece, offering a glimpse of the composition's essence but lacking the vibrant colors and intricate details. The essence of the future painting, visible to only a select few, was nothing more than a sketch.
• The author's use of recurring symbols in the early chapters of the novel provided an adumbration of the protagonist's internal struggles, leaving the reader with subtle clues about his character. The foreshadowing left much to the imagination, a tantalizing hint of the underlying turmoil.
• The government's new policy was initially presented as an adumbration of its broader environmental strategy, with few concrete details available, leaving citizens uncertain of its full implications. All the people had was the mere suggestion.
• As the storm clouds gathered, their presence provided an adumbration over the town, darkening the streets and suggesting the approaching downpour. The darkness was the shadow of things to come.