foregone

American  

[fawr-gawn, -gon, fawr-gawn, -gon] / fɔrˈgɔn, -ˈgɒn, ˈfɔrˌgɔn, -ˌgɒn /

adjective

1. that has gone before; previous; past.

2. determined in advance; inevitable.

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foregone British  

/ ˈfɔːˌɡɒn, fɔːˈɡɒn /

adjective

1. gone or completed; past

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Other Word Forms

• foregoneness
  noun
• unforegone
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of foregone

First recorded in 1590–1600; fore- + gone

Example Sentences

That amounted to an estimated $14 billion in foregone spending in a single year.

From Barron's • Jun. 25, 2026

Growing up in the San Fernando Valley in the ’70s and ’80s, it was a foregone conclusion I’d get married one day and have a family.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

In his telling, every meeting packs a punchline, conclusions are never foregone and suspense is rarely more than a page or two away.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026

If that makes the outcome seem like a foregone conclusion, it ain’t necessarily so, thanks to Labour’s laborious internal democratic process.

From Salon • May 12, 2026

Jasper had foregone the last few meals, screwing his mouth shut and crossing his arms.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead