foray

noun

for·ay | \ ˈfȯr-ˌā

, ˈfär- also fȯ-ˈrā or fə-ˈrā\

plural forays

Definition of foray

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a sudden or irregular invasion or attack for war or spoils : raid a foray into enemy territory attempted sneak and surprise forays— D. D. Eisenhower

2 : an initial and often tentative attempt to do something in a new or different field or area of activity the novelist's foray into nonfiction Torres spearheaded his family's first foray into international wine production by purchasing land in Chile's Curicó Valley in 1979.— Michael Schachner

foray

verb

forayed; foraying; forays

Definition of foray (Entry 2 of 2)

1 intransitive : to make a raid or brief invasion forayed into enemy territory Nicaraguan troops were foraying along the frontier …— George Russell

2 intransitive : to do or attempt something outside one's accustomed sphere : to enter into a new or different field or area of activity Tesla, known for its high-end electric cars, has forayed into the trucking industry with a Nov. 16 reveal of its latest prototype, the Tesla Semi.— Meagan Nichols

3 transitive archaic : to ravage in search of spoils : pillage

Other Words from foray Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about foray

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Did You Know?

Verb

Foray comes from Middle English forrayen and probably traces back to an Anglo-French word that meant "raider" or "forager." It's related to the word forage, which usually means "to wander in search of food or forage." A foray, in its earliest sense, was a raid for plunder. Relatively recently, foray began to take on a broader meaning. In a sense, a foray is still a trip into a foreign territory. These days, though, looting and plundering needn't be involved in a foray. When you take a foray, you dabble in an area, occupation, or pastime that's new to you.

Examples of foray in a Sentence

Noun

a foray into enemy territory We made a quick foray into town for some supplies.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

And on March 8, International Women’s Day, sports drinks group Lucozade Sport made its first foray into women’s soccer with a partnership with England's Lionesses. — Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, "Women's World Cup Smashes Global Ratings Records," 1 July 2019 The company had made its foray into ebooks in 2017, as part of a Windows 10 Creators Update that sought to round out the software available to its Surface line. — Brian Barrett, WIRED, "Microsoft's Ebook Apocalypse Shows the Dark Side of DRM," 30 June 2019 The two countries also agreed to joint patrols with the Philippines in the Sulu Sea, where Philippine separatist groups had made a foray into piracy. — The Economist, "The Gulf of Guinea is now the world’s worst piracy hotspot," 29 June 2019 Kim Kardashian-West made her first foray into the lingerie and shapewear industry with the announcement of her upcoming shapewear collection. — Sangeeta Singh-kurtz, Quartzy, "The perfect timing and iffy branding of Kim Kardashian’s “Kimono” shapewear," 26 June 2019 Russian warships and aircraft have periodically made forays into the Caribbean. — Washington Post, "What’s an advanced Russian warship doing in Havana harbor?," 25 June 2019 Against the Rules With Michael Lewis Moneyball and The Big Short author Michael Lewis makes his first foray into podcasting with a very Michael Lewis concept. — Eliana Dockterman, Time, "The 10 Best New Podcasts of the Year So Far," 21 June 2019 Earlier this year, Justin made the foray into fashion, and unveiled his Drew House collection. — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, "Hailey Bieber Wore an Entire Outfit From Justin Bieber’s Drew House Collection," 12 June 2019 As for what that next chapter is, could a foray back into college or NBA coaching be in the cards? — Danielle Lerner, The Courier-Journal, "Rick Pitino is leaving his coaching job in Greece and returning to America," 21 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Beyoncé joins a crew of fellow superstars who have forayed into the world of sportswear. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "Beyhive, Rejoice! Adidas and Beyoncé Are Teaming Up on a Cool New Label," 4 Apr. 2019 And now, the mom of five is foraying into children's literature! — Taysha Murtaugh, Country Living, "Joanna Gaines Is Releasing Her First Children's Book—And Her Kids Helped Her Write It!," 14 Jan. 2019 To camp solo is to foray into wilderness that’s made wilder by the fact that one is alone in it. — Cheryl Strayed, Vogue, "Is Glamping Camping? Wild’s Cheryl Strayed Tackles the Question—in Style," 17 July 2018 The American Cancer Society partnership isn’t Lyft’s only foray into medical transportation. — Sy Mukherjee, Fortune, "Lyft Is Offering Free Rides to Cancer Patients in Major U.S. Cities," 21 June 2018 There are plenty of his signature otaku flowers, but also forays into art history, including homages to the British master of angst Francis Bacon and the Edo-period Japanese painter Soga Shohaku. — The New Yorker, "Takashi Murakami, Japan’s Answer to Andy Warhol," 18 May 2018 Romiguier is also on the hunt for similar genetic adaptations that have helped some ants foray into the ruthless world of slavemaking. — Erica Tennenhouse, Science | AAAS, "How blood-red ants became slave snatchers," 11 Apr. 2018 Casper forayed into the pillow and sheets scene in 2016 to pretty great reviews. — Danielle Fox, ELLE Decor, "Trend Alert: The Most High-Tech Comforters And Sheets To Keep You Cool, Chic, And Comfy," 16 Feb. 2018 The actress Olivia Wilde, spokeswoman and model for H&M’s forays into sustainable fashion, was there wearing a new dress from the line. — Alden Wicker, Newsweek, "Fast Fashion Is Creating an Environmental Crisis," 1 Sep. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'foray.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.