prophesy

verb

proph·​e·​sy ˈprä-fə-ˌsī 

prophesied; prophesying

transitive verb

1

: to utter by or as if by divine inspiration

2

: to predict with assurance or on the basis of mystic knowledge

3

: prefigure

intransitive verb

1

: to speak as if divinely inspired

2

: to give instruction in religious matters : preach

3

: to make a prediction

prophesier

ˈprä-fə-ˌsī(-ə)r 

noun

Synonyms

• predict
• read

Choose the Right Synonym for prophesy

foretell, predict, forecast, prophesy, prognosticate mean to tell beforehand.

foretell applies to the telling of the coming of a future event by any procedure or any source of information.

seers foretold the calamity

predict commonly implies inference from facts or accepted laws of nature.

astronomers predicted an eclipse

forecast adds the implication of anticipating eventualities and differs from predict in being usually concerned with probabilities rather than certainties.

forecast snow

prophesy connotes inspired or mystic knowledge of the future especially as the fulfilling of divine threats or promises.

prophesying a new messiah

prognosticate is used less often than the other words; it may suggest learned or skilled interpretation, but more often it is simply a colorful substitute for predict or prophesy.

prognosticating the future

Examples of prophesy in a Sentence

The book claims that modern events were prophesied in ancient times.

holy men were prophesying the coming of a new messiah

Recent Examples on the Web

While Cassandras prophesied destabilization of the Middle East, the expansion of the accords could lead to a less radical and more stable political environment and increased energy availability worldwide. —Wesley Alexander Hill, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

For millennia, curious souls have examined a range of worldly phenomena, from the palm of the hand to moldy cheese, to prophesy supernatural knowledge about their fates. —John Last, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025

No switch was flipped that suddenly made millions of Tesla vehicles capable of driving themselves without human supervision, as Musk has prophesied. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 23 June 2025

Or how, in the U.S., my mother sought refuge in Dami Mission, a doomsday cult that prophesied a mass rapture to heaven. —Esther Lin, Time, 12 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English prophecien, prophesien, borrowed from Middle French prophecier, verbal derivative of phophecie, prophesie prophecy

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for prophesy

• prophecy

Kids Definition

prophesy

verb

proph·​e·​sy ˈpräf-ə-ˌsī 

prophesied; prophesying

1

: to speak or write like a prophet

2

: foretell, predict

prophesier

-ˌsī(-ə)r 

noun