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

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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
  • The National Retail Federation also anticipated skyrocketing prices on clothing, household appliances, furniture and more.
    — Dryden Pence, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • Earlier this week, the U.S. May consumer inflation report also came in cooler than anticipated.
    — Nur Hikmah Md Ali, CNBC, 13 June 2025
Definition of anticipate
Verb
  • Wind gusts of up to 40 mph and pea-sized hail (0.25 inches) are foreseen.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2025
  • The Royalton Chic hotel could not have foreseen that its operations would be substantial factors in the cause of Elijah Snow’s death, the Mexican property’s lawyers argued.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 June 2025
Definition of foresee
Verb
  • Prices could further spike, however, if Iran targets Saudi Arabia’s oil supplies or creates shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which almost 25% of total global oil consumption flows, with some experts predicting $100 oil per barrel.
    — Mathias Hammer, semafor.com, 13 June 2025
  • Clean energy installations, including solar, will continue, if more slowly than previously predicted.
    — Justin Worland, Time, 13 June 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

foreknew
foreknow
foreknowing
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Cite this Entry

“Foreknow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreknow. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of foreknow for Spanish Speakers

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