foreknow

verb

(ˌ)fȯr-ˈnō How to pronounce foreknow (audio)
Definition of foreknownext
as in to anticipate
to realize or know about beforehand what couple can possibly foreknow the trials and tribulations that marriage will bring?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Synonym Chooser

How is the word foreknow different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of foreknow are anticipate, divine, and foresee. While all these words mean "to know beforehand," foreknow usually implies supernatural assistance, as through revelation.

if only we could foreknow our own destinies

When might anticipate be a better fit than foreknow?

In some situations, the words anticipate and foreknow are roughly equivalent. However, anticipate implies taking action about or responding emotionally to something before it happens.

the waiter anticipated our every need

How are the words divine and foresee related as synonyms of foreknow?

Divine adds to foresee the suggestion of exceptional wisdom or discernment.

was able to divine Europe's rapid recovery from the war

In what contexts can foresee take the place of foreknow?

Although the words foresee and foreknow have much in common, foresee implies nothing about how the knowledge is derived and may apply to ordinary reasoning and experience.

economists should have foreseen the recession

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreknow
  1. anticipate
  2. foresee
  3. predict
Verb
  • But Kline said the scale of the warehouse is something that homeowners could never have anticipated.
    — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 9 Mar. 2025
  • No one should have anticipated what Williams had done.
    — Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of anticipate
Verb
  • Neither Churchill nor Mellon could foresee that the main beneficiary of a tottering world economy would eventually be Hitler.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
  • While there’s no crystal ball, many beauty companies, such as Unilever, foresee after a soft start to 2025 that the market will gain more traction in the second half of the year.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, WWD, 25 Feb. 2025
Definition of foresee
Verb
  • Tremble didn’t have the 2024 season that many predicted.
    — Alex Zietlow and, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Women possessed by the gods were oracles, predicting the future in cryptic utterances.
    — Vipin Bharathan, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of predict
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.

Browse Nearby Words

foreknow
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foreknow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreknow. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on foreknow

Nglish: Translation of foreknow for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
girl-pencil-test
Challenging Standardized Test Words Quiz Vol. 3 You’re on your own for the math section.
See All