foreknow: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2/RareFormal, Literary, Theological
Quick answer
What does “foreknow” mean?
To know or be aware of something before it happens.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To know or be aware of something before it happens; to have prescience.
In religious contexts (especially Christianity), to refer to God's omniscient knowledge of all future events and human choices.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is equally rare and formal in both variants.
Connotations
Strongly associated with theological discourse about divine omniscience and predestination.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general corpora. Slightly higher occurrence in religious texts.
Grammar
How to Use “foreknow” in a Sentence
Subject + foreknow + object (e.g., He foreknew the crisis.)It is foreknown + that-clause (e.g., It was foreknown that she would succeed.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “foreknow” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The ancient oracle was said to foreknow the fates of kings.
- If we could foreknow the market's collapse, we would act differently.
American English
- The doctrine states that God foreknew who would be saved.
- She foreknew the result of the experiment with unsettling certainty.
adverb
British English
- This event was foreknowably linked to his earlier actions. (Rare/Formed)
- She spoke foreknowingly of the coming storm.
American English
- He nodded foreknowingly, as if the news was no surprise. (Rare)
- The prophecy was foreknowably accurate.
adjective
British English
- The foreknown outcome did little to ease their anxiety.
- He acted with a sense of foreknown doom.
American English
- They marched toward their foreknown destiny.
- The plan's failure was a foreknown risk.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in philosophy of time, theology, and discussions of determinism vs. free will.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would sound archaic or overly formal.
Technical
Used in theological writing to describe divine omniscience.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “foreknow”
- Using it in casual speech. *'I foreknew the train would be late.' (Use 'I knew' or 'I suspected').
- Confusing it with 'foresee'. 'Foreknow' stresses certain knowledge; 'foresee' stresses mental envisioning.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Foreknow' implies certain, infallible knowledge of a future event. 'Predict' involves making an educated guess or forecast based on evidence, but without certainty.
No, it is a rare, formal word used primarily in theological, philosophical, or literary contexts.
The related noun is 'foreknowledge' (e.g., 'He acted with foreknowledge of the law').
It would sound very unnatural and overly formal. In everyday speech, use 'know beforehand', 'anticipate', or 'predict' instead.
To know or be aware of something before it happens.
Foreknow is usually formal, literary, theological in register.
Foreknow: in British English it is pronounced /fɔːˈnəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /fɔːrˈnoʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to 'foreknow'. Related: 'foregone conclusion' (an outcome known in advance).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
FOREKNOW = FORE (before) + KNOW. You KNOW it FORE it happens.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWING IS SEEING (foresight); THE FUTURE IS A LANDSCAPE (to foreknow is to have a map of it).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'foreknow' MOST appropriately used?