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ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Foretell

/fɔɹˈtɛl/ · verb

Meaning

(ambitransitive) To predict; to tell (the future) before it occurs; to prophesy..

Definitions by Sense

  1. (ambitransitive) To predict; to tell (the future) before it occurs; to prophesy.
  2. (transitive) To tell (a person) of the future.

Example Sentences

Deeds then undone me faithful tongue foretold.
Prodigies, foretelling the future eminence and lustre of his character.
This was a demise foretold. Fatalistic in the face of a parliamentary impasse, Mr. Bayrou had, even before the debate began, invited his entourage to a “convivial moment,” or farewell soirée, this evening.
[…] there came to him a Person named Saul, whom Samuel had never before seen; but God made him know it was the same he had foretold him of.

Synonyms for foretell

foresayforespeakharbingerpresagecallaugurportendomenanticipateforecastauspicateannouncebetokenannunciateprefigureforebodepredictpromiseprognosticateforeshadowbodeherald

Antonyms for foretell

Related Words

harbingerprefigureforebodeauspicateforeshadowprognosticatebodeforecastportendpresagepredictomenanticipatebetokenannunciateannouncepromiseheraldaugurcall

Word Forms

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does foretell mean?

Foretell means (ambitransitive) To predict; to tell (the future) before it occurs; to prophesy..

What is a synonym for foretell?

Common synonyms include foresay, forespeak, harbinger, presage.

What is the opposite of foretell?

The opposite depends on the specific sense.

How do you use foretell in a sentence?

Deeds then undone me faithful tongue foretold.

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.