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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as in predicting
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Dissimilar Words
as in reading
to tell of or describe beforehand
a 16th-century astrologer who, some claim, accurately foretold 20th-century events
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of foretelling
Zev Fima, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
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
Miami had been favored by 13 1/2 points but that whittled to 10 1/2 by kickoff, perhaps foretelling the close game as late gambling money flooded to the Cardinals.
—Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
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
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
Miami had been favored by 13 1/2 points but that whittled to 10 1/2 by kickoff, perhaps foretelling the close game as late gambling money flooded to the Cardinals.
—Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foretelling
Noun
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But while Pritzker’s actions may be read through the lens of his potential 2028 presidential ambitions, the broader issue of who can regulate prediction markets has been building for months.—
Olivia Olander,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Traders on the prediction market site Polymarket were giving Musk 32% odds of success as of Friday, after weeks of volatile price swings.—
David Ingram,
NBC news,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Local water is also more reliable, even though predicting rain in the Mediterranean climate of Southern California is about as easy as choosing a winning Super Lotto number.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
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The mountains have a higher probability of precipitation, with weather experts predicting a 20% to 40% chance in the Bogus area.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Without full accounting, required financial statements, annual audits, budget tracking and forecasting are thrown off and libraries risk spending money that’s supposed to be dedicated to pensions on building maintenance, Franco said.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Subsequent investigations have suggested that the infrastructure and risk forecasting were inadequate for such a devastating natural disaster.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Minimum inflow from the Colorado River into Lake Powell over the coming months is expected to be just 29% of its historical average, and one of the lowest on record for the reservoir along the border between Arizona and Utah, according to a Bureau of Reclamation forecast.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
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Sunday and Monday have the potential to be the most potent days of the stretch, but the forecast hinges on key details.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But maybe this is a self-fulfilling prophecy.—
Richard E. Vatz,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Apr. 2026
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Isaiah is one of the greatest books of the Old Testament regarding the prophecy of Jesus Christ as savior.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foretelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foretelling. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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