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
  • Attentive, Personalized Service From the moment guests arrive, attentive doormen and reception staff recognize them by name and go out of their way to anticipate and address their needs.
    Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • Trade tensions could worsen and tariffs could escalate, some analysts said, while noting the difficulty of anticipating exactly where the levies will land.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • But the group’s mentor never foresaw her protégé falling for a bad boy like Juni, who’s got a couple secrets up his sleeve as well.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 21 June 2025
  • But there was no final agreement to cut the tax on British steel to zero as originally foreseen — seen as vital to preserving the U.K.’s beleaguered steel industry.
    Jill Lawless, Fortune, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • Research and advisory firm Gartner predicted in February that by 2027, the average prices of application programming interfaces for genAI will fall to less than 1% of the current average price for the same technology.
    Bernice Ooi, CNBC, 26 June 2025
  • Ma predicted similar gains, saying the market would rise at least 5%.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 25 June 2025
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 4 Jul. 2025.

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