Definition of foreknownext

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
Verb
  • Council members anticipate hearing evidence from an independent investigator and other witnesses, said council member LaKeisha Gantt.
    Reed Williams, AJC.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • They were handed over to the authorities by security forces in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara state, on Friday for medical attention and routine checks, and were anticipating their return home to reunite with their families.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Abiel Garcia, partner at law firm Kesselman Brantly Stockinger, who formerly served as California’s deputy attorney general, doesn’t foresee any possibility of a settlement.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
  • However, 76% of Wall Street traders foresee a rate hike in September, according to the CME FedWatch tool.
    Yuri Kageyama, Fortune, 29 July 2026
Verb
  • Seat counts have stopped predicting anything, which means the pricing model underneath thirty years of enterprise software is now unstable in both directions, and everybody selling it knows.
    Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Water starts rapidly flooding the house, with a creature swimming through, clearly adept at moving underwater as had been predicted.
    William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Foreknow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreknow. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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