as in symptom
somewhat formal
a small or short experience of something that will not be fully experienced until later
The sudden cold snap gave us a foretaste of winter. These layoffs are only a foretaste of what's to come.
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Recent Examples of foretaste
Indeed, during his time in office, Frick delivered a foretaste of what could be expected if the National Socialists came to power nationally.
—
Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
The Art Institute offered a foretaste of the collection through two exhibitions — one focused on Neoclassical paintings, the other on French Revolution-era drawings — in the fall.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
The Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer’s financial performance could be a foretaste of how U.S. chip export controls to China affect tech companies.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2024
What is on track to happen in South Korea offers a foretaste of what lies in store for the rest of the world.
—Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for foretaste
Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
The Art Institute offered a foretaste of the collection through two exhibitions — one focused on Neoclassical paintings, the other on French Revolution-era drawings — in the fall.
—Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2025
The Dutch semiconductor equipment manufacturer’s financial performance could be a foretaste of how U.S. chip export controls to China affect tech companies.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2024
What is on track to happen in South Korea offers a foretaste of what lies in store for the rest of the world.
—Nicholas Eberstadt, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for foretaste
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foretaste
Noun
-
Ames encourages other people with unexplained symptoms to get tested and to look around their homes for potential mold sources.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
According to the Centers for Disease Control, chickenpox, which is very contagious, often begins with symptoms like fever, fatigue, and loss of appetite, followed by an itchy rash.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
At the end of The Age of Innocence (1920), Edith Wharton skips forward from her 1870s setting to give us an early-twentieth-century glimpse of her protagonist Newland Archer.—
Michael Gorra,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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The crew has also appeared live on camera throughout NASA’s continuing broadcast of the mission, allowing candid glimpses of their life in space.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The air smells damp and jungly (in the best possible way) and is sweetened with a hint of frangipani.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Researchers are now exploring Greenland shark genetics for clues about aging, finding hints of enhanced DNA repair and cellular maintenance that could slow aging at a fundamental level.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
While the storm is looming, there are new glimmers of possibility—friends can become lovers, strangers can become friends on the subway, the supermarket aisles are charged with meaning.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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But there are glimmers of hope beyond the carnage, too.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Characterized by the exchange of representatives and the sojourn of Kongolese students in Portugal, this period was a harbinger of late 20th-century technical assistance.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
And this seems a harbinger, given that cursive has been cut from the Common Core.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
However, that review gave no indications that their origins were extraterrestrial.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
There’s little indication that China intends imminent military action.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Strong-smelling companion plants mask the scent of crops so pests cannot find them.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2026
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Throw out those old sponges and try out a new scent (like a fresh lemon or floral) to make your home smell brand new.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foretaste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foretaste. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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