as in prediction
a declaration that something will happen in the future
the ludicrous foretellings of self-styled psychics at the end of each year
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as in predicting
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as in reading
to tell of or describe beforehand
a 16th-century astrologer who, some claim, accurately foretold 20th-century events
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Recent Examples of foretelling
Zev Fima, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
The Guardian similarly noted more than a dozen $100,000 bets on prediction markets foretelling the February air strikes on Iran, while The New York Times last month reported 150 bets of $1,000 or more predicting the start of the war.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The stories foretelling McGonigle’s talents are numerous.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Million-Follower Detective (February 12) This eight-episode Taiwanese crime thriller follows a mysterious woman who rises to fame and becomes a powerful influencer after accurately foretelling the murders of several social-media influencers.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Apparently, the little man was an oracle, foretelling deaths with certainty.
—Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
The opening night in Brazil provided the ominous but apparently foretelling moment, when one star player left his passing lane on a game-deciding third down.
—Sam McDowell December 15, Kansas City Star, 15 Dec. 2025
The track, written and produced by Danny Elfman, premiered in the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas (foretelling the blend of Halloween and Christmas decorations on the latest chart).
—Gary Trust, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025
Those are the conclusions of two recent reports about spiraling utility bills, one looking at the past, the other foretelling the future.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
In the wake of Friday’s abysmal jobs report , investors are scrambling to understand whether the loss of 92,000 jobs in February was a blip or a foretelling of more payroll cuts to come as t he adoption of AI by corporations increases .
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
But the drama here feels too diagrammatic, foretelling a tragic fate from the first scene onward as everyone parties down like their lives depend on it.
—Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
The Guardian similarly noted more than a dozen $100,000 bets on prediction markets foretelling the February air strikes on Iran, while The New York Times last month reported 150 bets of $1,000 or more predicting the start of the war.
—Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The stories foretelling McGonigle’s talents are numerous.
—Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2026
Million-Follower Detective (February 12) This eight-episode Taiwanese crime thriller follows a mysterious woman who rises to fame and becomes a powerful influencer after accurately foretelling the murders of several social-media influencers.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Apparently, the little man was an oracle, foretelling deaths with certainty.
—Literary Hub, 5 Jan. 2026
The opening night in Brazil provided the ominous but apparently foretelling moment, when one star player left his passing lane on a game-deciding third down.
—Sam McDowell December 15, Kansas City Star, 15 Dec. 2025
The track, written and produced by Danny Elfman, premiered in the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas (foretelling the blend of Halloween and Christmas decorations on the latest chart).
—Gary Trust, Billboard, 11 Nov. 2025
Those are the conclusions of two recent reports about spiraling utility bills, one looking at the past, the other foretelling the future.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foretelling
Noun
-
The odds of the Clarity Act being passed this year have dropped back from almost 70% on the Polymarket prediction platform, falling to just over 50%.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
There were dire predictions about what would happen if Measure E doesn't pass.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Still, when weather patterns resemble past hurricanes, AI can be highly effective at recognizing relationships and predicting future storm behavior.—
Katie Garch,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
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On top of predicting which PFAS will accumulate in the body and which will be excreted, researchers also have to contend with a person’s metabolism, the process by which chemicals – including some PFAS – are biologically transformed by the body.—
Carrie McDonough,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Two forecasting centers - the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Colorado State University (CSU) - are forecasting below-normal activity for the 2026 season, primarily due to a rapidly developing strong El Nino.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
-
Let the machines handle forecasting, logistics, compliance, customer service.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Saturday’s forecast suggests around a 50% chance of rain in the vicinity of the cave system, as Laos enters its annual rainy season.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
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This would, all else equal, support a cautious approach to raising rates, and is consistent with our forecast for two 25 basis point hikes in June and September.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
Noun
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What might have sounded like a bold claim at the turn of the millennium has turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy in today’s era of big data and artificial intelligence.—
Sandra Matz,
The Conversation,
27 May 2026
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Two reversals and a vindication For the OpenAI CEO, his comments walk back his prophecy on AI’s impact on labor.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Foretelling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foretelling. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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