forewarning

fore·warn·ing | \ fȯr-ˈwȯr-niŋ

How to pronounce forewarning (audio)

\

Definition of forewarning

1 : a warning given in advance

2 : the state of being warned in advance

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about forewarning

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of forewarning in a Sentence

heeded the forewarning to stay off the ice until the town had checked to see if it was thick enough

Recent Examples on the Web Even before Abdullah’s deportation, Gonzalez gathered information that seemed to support the prison informants’ claims that Abdullah had some forewarning of 9/11. — Tim Golden, ProPublica, "Operation Encore and the Saudi Connection: A Secret History of the 9/11 Investigation," 23 Jan. 2020 Turns out, a little forewarning, a dash of tact and a giant pile of money is a winning formula for a clean break. — Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, "The breakups of the decade," 16 Dec. 2019 But if an exceedingly large storm were to strike again—as one very nearly did in 2012—the results could be severe, regardless of forewarnings. — Jonathan O'callaghan, Scientific American, "New Studies Warn of Cataclysmic Solar Superstorms," 24 Sep. 2019 Second, there was no forewarning that Luck would retire. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "Colts Would Win in Court vs. Fans Seeking Ticket Refunds Over Luck's Retirement," 26 Aug. 2019 Often, residents are given no or little forewarning by the police on imminent tear gas use, and as a result are caught unawares while at home, dining out, or just strolling the streets. — Mary Hui, Quartz, "In Hong Kong, almost everyone, everywhere—including pets—is getting tear gassed," 8 Aug. 2019 That forewarning has given rise to an intricate web of global deception. — Katherine Eban, WIRED, "8 Ways Overseas Drug Manufacturers Dupe the FDA," 7 Aug. 2019 Many Europeans count on Britain to check Trump’s worst impulses on the international stage — or at least to give them forewarning. — Kimberly Dozier / Aspen, Time, "The 'Special' U.S.-U.K. Relationship is Bruised After Trump Officials Left U.K. Out of Iran Strike Planning," 23 July 2019 With no forewarning, Kate Middleton and Prince William are making a short, two-day trip to Northern Ireland to celebrate the young people in the region. — Katherine J. Igoe, Marie Claire, "Kate Middleton Wore Some of Her Most Beloved Clothing Items In Northern Ireland," 27 Feb. 2019

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

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about forewarning

Dictionary Entries near forewarning

Statistics for forewarning

Last Updated

10 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Forewarning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forewarning. Accessed 18 Feb. 2020.

WORD OF THE DAY

bootless

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

More Confusing Words—Quiz

The magician ______ moved the selected card to the top of the deck.

discreetly discretely

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.