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
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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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of penumbra
The moon will begin entering Earth’s outer shadow, known as the penumbra, at 8:41 p.m. Eastern time, according to NASA.
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Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Sep. 2024
The penumbra, or outside edge of the Earth's shadow, covers the remaining portion of the moon.
—Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2024
The moon will begin touching the outer shadow of the Earth (known as the penumbra) at 8:41 p.m. ET.
—Diana Leyva, The Courier-Journal, 3 Sep. 2024
The blanket presidential immunity ordained in Trump v. United States was not even discernable in the penumbras, emanations or subtext of the Constitution.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for penumbra 
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Sep. 2024
The penumbra, or outside edge of the Earth's shadow, covers the remaining portion of the moon.
—Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2024
The moon will begin touching the outer shadow of the Earth (known as the penumbra) at 8:41 p.m. ET.
—Diana Leyva, The Courier-Journal, 3 Sep. 2024
The blanket presidential immunity ordained in Trump v. United States was not even discernable in the penumbras, emanations or subtext of the Constitution.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for penumbra
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penumbra
Noun
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When the moon moves into the inner part of Earth's shadow, or umbra, according to NASA, some of the sunlight entering Earth's skies scatters before reaching the moon's surface.Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 10 Dec. 2024
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The young artist’s work stood out for its unique chiaroscuro, masterfully contrasting light and shadow to create dramatic, three-dimensional images.Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The brides are switched because their wedding veils conceal their identity, one of them hidden and the other deliberately hiding.Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 13 Dec. 2024
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Her clothing is all unmemorable shades of beige, gray, and cream, but her daintily white hair is cut into a bob that suggests a Tudor-era gable hood or a nun’s veil.Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
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This Morphe palette with 35 fitting shades is right up my alley.Kiana Murden, Vogue, 11 Dec. 2024
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In areas with hot summer sun, plants benefit from a little afternoon shade.Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 Dec. 2024
Noun
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April 8: Solar eclipse shrouds Texas for first time in 626 years Prior to the 2024 event that millions gathered in Texas to witness, Austin hadn't been covered in darkness by a total solar eclipse since 1397.Alexis Simmerman, Austin American-Statesman, 24 July 2024
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Published in Nature Astronomy, the study reveals that there may be a shroud of gas around every galaxy that stretches up to a million light years.Jamie Carter, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024
Noun
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Instead of gentle concentric circles, gleaming finishes, or a mesmerizing light show, the ProArt P16 meets us with inky blackness.PCMAG, PCMAG, 13 Oct. 2024
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The Mid-Credits Scene — the King in Black The central plot of The Last Dance revolves around Venom trying to stop the creator of the symbiotes, Knull (Andy Serkis), from escaping his celestial prison and returning all of existence to the Void, the blackness that predates the universe.Richard Newby, Vulture, 25 Oct. 2024
Noun
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New metamaterials – which can in principle be used to make an ‘invisibility cloak’ – are used extensively in current stealth research.David Hambling, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024
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Advertisement Callas could fold herself in a cloak and force an audience to focus on her.Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
Noun
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At dusk, a procession of the faithful takes to the streets with children often dressed as angels and shepherds.Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 13 Dec. 2024
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Crete is famous for these: the hills at dusk are all blues, violets and blacks; the sky a hundred shades of pink and orange where the sun hits the Aegean.William Leigh, theweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Megalopolis pushes Coppola into unchecked futuristic, pseudo-classical narrative fabrications (evoking the Shakespearean pall cast by the death of Caesar’s wife).Armond White, National Review, 4 Oct. 2024
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While crowds still gathered to commemorate Israel’s 76th Independence day, an unmistakable pall hung over this year’s celebrations, overshadowed by the lingering effects of the devastating Oct. 7 Hamas attack and the ensuing war in Gaza.Deborah Danan, Sun Sentinel, 25 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Penumbra.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penumbra. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
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