Meaning & use
foretold
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“foretold” is a form of “foretell”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitiveliteraryformal
said in advance what would happen; the past tense and past participle of 'foretell'.
Grammar: Can take an object (foretold the future) or be used without one (as foretold). It is the past form, not the base form.
Patterns
- foretold something
- foretold that ...
- as foretold
The old woman foretold that the king would lose his crown.
Many of the changes he foretold have now come true.
As foretold in the prophecy, a great storm struck the coast.
verbtransitiveliteraryformal
used as the past participle in passive or perfect structures to mean something was predicted.
Grammar: Common in the passive: it was foretold that ...; or in the perfect: has foretold.
Patterns
- it was foretold that ...
- have foretold something
It was foretold that a child would save the village.
Scientists have foretold the effects of rising sea levels for decades.
Word forms
| base form | foretell |
|---|---|
| third person singular | foretells |
| past tense | foretold |
| past participle | foretold |
| -ing form | foretelling |
Common combinations
- foretold the future
- The fortune teller claimed she had foretold the future.
- as foretold
- As foretold, the harvest failed that year.
- foretold by
- The disaster was foretold by ancient writings.
- foretold that
- He foretold that the team would win.
Synonyms and how they differ
- predicted
- More common and neutral; it can be used in everyday contexts, while 'foretold' sounds literary or prophetic.
- prophesied
- Strongly religious or magical in tone; 'foretold' is slightly wider but still formal.
Word family
- foretell verb
- to say what will happen in the future
- foretelling noun
- the act of predicting future events
Commonly confused: foretold or foretold vs. foretell?
foretold vs foretold vs. foretell
'Foretold' is the past form; use 'foretell' for the present. Do not say 'I foretold' when you mean 'I foretell'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'foretold' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Foretold' is the past tense, so it fits a past event with 'that', as in option B. Option An incorrectly uses 'will' with a past form; option C uses 'are foretold' wrongly; option D uses the wrong pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “foretold”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.