foretell applies to the telling of the coming of a future event by any procedure or any source of information.
seers foretold the calamity
predict commonly implies inference from facts or accepted laws of nature.
astronomers predicted an eclipse
forecast adds the implication of anticipating eventualities and differs from predict in being usually concerned with probabilities rather than certainties.
forecast snow
prophesy connotes inspired or mystic knowledge of the future especially as the fulfilling of divine threats or promises.
prophesying a new messiah
prognosticate is used less often than the other words; it may suggest learned or skilled interpretation, but more often it is simply a colorful substitute for predict or prophesy.
prognosticating the future
Examples of foretell in a Sentence
We cannot foretell the future.
a 16th-century astrologer who, some claim, accurately foretold 20th-century events
Recent Examples on the WebRemember, tarot foretells the news that is manifesting and provides a warning.—Lisa Stardust, Peoplemag, 14 June 2024 Friday marks Groundhog Day, a holiday born from an old Dutch superstition that says a groundhog's emergence from its burrow is said to foretell the weather for the following six weeks.—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 2 Feb. 2024 That dynamic is one that foretells both parties largely talking past each other without any real respect for the opposing view.—Philip Elliott, TIME, 6 June 2024 The answer matters because lawyers’ experience using these copilots may foretell what will happen in other professions too in the coming few years.—Fortune Editors, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2014 See all Example Sentences for foretell
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foretell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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