foreknow 1 of 2

Definition of foreknownext

foreknowledge

2 of 2

noun

as in foresight
the special ability to see or know about events before they actually occur a suspenseful story about a man who has a frightening foreknowledge of disasters

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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.
Recent Examples of foreknow
Noun
That is one future no amount of foreknowledge or planning can avoid. Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026 The younger daughter had arrived with foreknowledge of the role her older sister had already claimed. Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026 Days later, Carlson began releasing The 9/11 Files, a five-part video series that suggests Israel had foreknowledge of the al-Qaeda attacks but withheld the information from the United States. Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2026 But even with that foreknowledge, the moment hits us like a truck full of dynamite, aided immensely by Thurman’s explosive shock at the sight of her daughter. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025 The chat reportedly included discussions that could indicate ideological motivations, and possibly even encouragement or foreknowledge of the attack. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 16 Sep. 2025 What was the level of foreknowledge about this attack? Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreknow
Verb
  • Some fans will have purchased alternative plane tickets and booked extra hotel nights, anticipating a change that never came.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 July 2026
  • Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro is anticipated to be more expensive, potentially by $200, driven by rising memory and storage costs.
    Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • The survey is an indicator of companies foreseeing good conditions minus those feeling pessimistic.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
  • To say legislators should have foreseen this result is shooting fish.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Susan Del Percio, a New York GOP strategist, predicted the dueling programs would excite the different constituencies of the two leaders.
    Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026
  • But predicting how things will change decades from now is a more daunting task than embracing a gauzy promise.
    Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post, 3 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foreknow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreknow. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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