foretell

verb

fore·​tell fȯr-ˈtel How to pronounce foretell (audio)
foretold fȯr-ˈtōld How to pronounce foretell (audio) ; foretelling
Synonyms of foretellnext

transitive verb

: to tell beforehand : predict
foreteller noun

Synonyms

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foretell, predict, forecast, prophesy, prognosticate mean to tell beforehand.

foretell applies to the telling of the coming of a future event by any procedure or any source of information.

seers foretold the calamity

predict commonly implies inference from facts or accepted laws of nature.

astronomers predicted an eclipse

forecast adds the implication of anticipating eventualities and differs from predict in being usually concerned with probabilities rather than certainties.

forecast snow

prophesy connotes inspired or mystic knowledge of the future especially as the fulfilling of divine threats or promises.

prophesying a new messiah

prognosticate is used less often than the other words; it may suggest learned or skilled interpretation, but more often it is simply a colorful substitute for predict or prophesy.

prognosticating the future

Examples of foretell in a Sentence

We cannot foretell the future. a 16th-century astrologer who, some claim, accurately foretold 20th-century events
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Sibyl appears in the epigraph of The Wasteland, unable to foretell her own death. — Vipin Bharathan, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025 Oberon’s strides foretold the ability of Dev Patel, of Gujarati descent, to assume the title role in The Personal History of David Copperfield, based on the Charles Dickens novel. — Mayukh Sen, The Atlantic, 1 Mar. 2025 Kessler’s hiring could foretell antitrust litigation that would rattle a hockey world already coming to terms with the NCAA allowing more junior players to join Division I college teams. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 25 Jan. 2025 Written soon after the death of Mahler’s daughter and soon before his own, the symphony is a sombre, reflective, and reverberant adieu, brewing such melancholy that Leonard Bernstein theorized that Mahler was foretelling his own end. — The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foretell

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foretell was in the 14th century

Rhymes for foretell

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Cite this Entry

“Foretell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foretell. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

foretell

verb
fore·​tell fōr-ˈtel How to pronounce foretell (audio)
fȯr-
foretold -ˈtōld How to pronounce foretell (audio) ; foretelling
: to tell of or describe beforehand
foreteller noun

More from Merriam-Webster on foretell

Nglish: Translation of foretell for Spanish Speakers

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