1
as in shadow
partial darkness due to the obstruction of light rays
the lunar eclipse began with a subtle darkening of the lunar surface as it passed within the Earth's penumbra
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in veil
something that covers or conceals like a piece of cloth
a penumbra of despair fell over the doomed city
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penumbra
The only total lunar eclipse of the year that will be visible in the U.S. will start around 11:00 P.M., when the moon will enter the penumbra, the faint part of Earth’s shadow.
—
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 9 Jan. 2025
The entire event of the Earth passing in front of the moon—with the moon entering the Earth's umbra (the central, darkest part of the shadow) and penumbra (the lighter outer shadow)—can last up to 3–4 hours.
—Jess Thomson, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Castle Sands pool sits in the penumbra of castle ruins.
—Freya Bromley, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2023
The moon will begin touching the outer shadow of the Earth (known as the penumbra) at 7:41 p.m. CT.
—Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 3 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 9 Jan. 2025
The entire event of the Earth passing in front of the moon—with the moon entering the Earth's umbra (the central, darkest part of the shadow) and penumbra (the lighter outer shadow)—can last up to 3–4 hours.
—Jess Thomson, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Castle Sands pool sits in the penumbra of castle ruins.
—Freya Bromley, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2023
The moon will begin touching the outer shadow of the Earth (known as the penumbra) at 7:41 p.m. CT.
—Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 3 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for penumbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penumbra
Noun
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But against a Borussia Dortmund team that is a shadow of the side that made last season’s final, this is arguably their best opportunity.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
The Athletic,
11 Mar. 2025
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Remarkably, the eclipses are 521 years apart, which means the moon takes an almost identical path through Earth's shadow and occurs against the same background stars.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Even the nuns’ attire had progressed past ultra-conservative frocks and full-coverage veils.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
14 Mar. 2025
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The visuals are soft and cloudy, as if blanketed by a gossamer veil, and movement between scenes possess a feathery quality (editing is by Garret Elkins).—
Lovia Gyarkye,
The Hollywood Reporter,
11 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Each shade is thoughtfully chosen to evoke an unmistakable ultra-feminine allure.—
Felicity Carter,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
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Lips were metallic, using the Makeup by Mario Ultra Suede Sculpting Lip Pencil in a deep brown shade called Jeff and two of the Blurring Balm Lowlighter by Danessa Myricks in a golden mauve tone, Unbothered, and a cinnamon shade, Off The Grid.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Imagery from the Myrtle Beach region Monday morning showed a shroud of smoke enveloping parts of the low-lying terrain and creating a wall of low visibility.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC News,
4 Mar. 2025
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The launch shroud encasing the uncrewed Progress MS-30 (or Progress 91, as NASA refers to it) resupply spacecraft has been decorated with a logo commemorating the centennial of Pavel Belyayev's birth.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Passengers experience a few minutes of weightlessness during this stretch and get to see Earth against the blackness of space.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
25 Feb. 2025
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Vega, one of the brightest stars in the night sky, shone above the horizon, brilliant against the blackness.—
Nicholas J. R. White Kat Hill,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
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High Fashion Rose Byrne gives us a cloak moment at the premiere of Blue Moon during Berlinale on Feb. 18 in Berlin. City Nights James Marsden celebrates the premiere of Zero Day on Feb. 18 in New York City.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
People.com,
21 Feb. 2025
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The show’s iconic red cloak first made its debut back in April 2017 in season one and has since become a global sign of protest in the fight for women’s rights worldwide.—
Jackie Strause,
The Hollywood Reporter,
12 Feb. 2025
Noun
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To keep safe, researchers suggest swimmers should avoid wearing shiny jewelry, refrain from swimming at dawn or dusk and avoid areas where fishermen are present.—
Julia Bonavita,
Fox News,
15 Mar. 2025
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The Rooftop is a vibe day or night with live music and views of the ocean, but dusk is when the hotel team's attention to design details really shine.—
Mariah Tyler,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Cornell’s comments come after Target posted fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue that topped Wall Street’s expectations but cast a pall over the current quarter.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,Jacob Pramuk,
CNBC,
4 Mar. 2025
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But a few nominees’ past actions have cast a pall over otherwise historic triumphs.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to penumbra
Cite this Entry
“Penumbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penumbra. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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