foreshadowing
Say it: for-SHAD-oh-ing /fɔːˈʃædəʊɪŋ/ · noun
What “foreshadowing” means
Early clues in a story about what will happen later.
More precisely: Hints early in a story about what will happen later.
Example: “The cracked mirror in scene one is obvious foreshadowing.”
When to use it
When discussing small early details that hint at later events, especially when you notice them after finishing a story.
Similar words
prefiguring, hinting, presaging
Quick check
Early in a film, a loose stair creaks; later, it breaks beneath the escaping hero. What was the creak?
foreshadowing or a flashback?
Show the answer
foreshadowing
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