Thesaurus

foretell

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of foretell

to tell of or describe beforehand

a 16th-century astrologer who, some claim, accurately foretold 20th-century events

Synonyms of foretell

augur, call, forecast, predict, presage, prognosticate, prophesy, read, vaticinate

Words Related to foretell

alert, caution, forewarn, warn

bode, forebode (also forbode), portend, promise

anticipate, divine, foreknow, foresee

announce, declare, herald, proclaim

Near Antonyms of foretell

describe, narrate, recite, recount, relate, report, tell

Synonym Discussion of foretell

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.