foretelling 1 of 3

noun

as in prediction
a declaration that something will happen in the future the ludicrous foretellings of self-styled psychics at the end of each year

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foretelling

2 of 3

adjective

as in predicting

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Dissimilar Words

foretelling

3 of 3

verb

present participle of foretell
as in reading
to tell of or describe beforehand a 16th-century astrologer who, some claim, accurately foretold 20th-century events

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 foretelling
Noun
In the wake of Friday’s abysmal jobs report , investors are scrambling to understand whether the loss of 92,000 jobs in February was a blip or a foretelling of more payroll cuts to come as t he adoption of AI by corporations increases . — Zev Fima, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
But the drama here feels too diagrammatic, foretelling a tragic fate from the first scene onward as everyone parties down like their lives depend on it. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026 The Guardian similarly noted more than a dozen $100,000 bets on prediction markets foretelling the February air strikes on Iran, while The New York Times last month reported 150 bets of $1,000 or more predicting the start of the war. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 21 Apr. 2026 The stories foretelling McGonigle’s talents are numerous. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026 Million-Follower Detective (February 12) This eight-episode Taiwanese crime thriller follows a mysterious woman who rises to fame and becomes a powerful influencer after accurately foretelling the murders of several social-media influencers. — Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026 Apparently, the little man was an oracle, foretelling deaths with certainty. — Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026 The opening night in Brazil provided the ominous but apparently foretelling moment, when one star player left his passing lane on a game-deciding third down. — Sam McDowell December 15, Kansas City Star, 15 Dec. 2025 The track, written and produced by Danny Elfman, premiered in the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas (foretelling the blend of Halloween and Christmas decorations on the latest chart). — Gary Trust, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025 Those are the conclusions of two recent reports about spiraling utility bills, one looking at the past, the other foretelling the future. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foretelling
  1. prediction
  2. predicting
  3. forecasting
  4. forecast
  5. prophecy
Noun
  • The group’s predictions are nightmarish and agonizing to even contemplate.
    — Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Jason Trost Smarkets founder The first choice, though, would be for Smarkets to run as a prediction markets exchange regulated under the CFTC, Trost said.
    — Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of prediction
Verb
  • Historians are generally better off interpreting the past than predicting the future.
    — Jake Lundberg, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
  • From technological upheavals to an increasingly frenetic global trend cycle, industry leaders are constantly tasked with predicting what comes next — which is no small feat in 2026.
    — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of predicting
Noun
  • Finally, the steel industry is rapidly adopting AI to revolutionize production, improving process control, safety, demand forecasting, and logistics, including robotic inspections.
    — Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The technologies that shape modern life, from GPS navigation and weather forecasting to cancer therapies and cellular communications, all rely on scientific discovery.
    — H. Christopher Frey, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of forecasting
Noun
  • Stay alert, keep an eye on the forecast and be ready to take shelter if a warning is issued.
    — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 13 Aug. 2026
  • These odds will likely rise significantly for 2027, based on the latest forecasts.
    — Dan Peck, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of forecast
Noun
  • This mindset may even be beneficial; having negative ideas about aging is linked to worse health outcomes, almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
    — Richard Sima, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026
  • As well as this, there had already been the prophecy about his martyrdom being something cruel and slow.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of prophecy

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foretelling
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Cite this Entry

“Foretelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foretelling. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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