foregone conclusion
Americannoun
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an inevitable conclusion or result.
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a conclusion, opinion, or decision formed in advance of proper consideration of evidence, arguments, etc.
noun
Etymology
Origin of foregone conclusion
First recorded in 1595–1605
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When it comes to romantic comedies, it’s not where it’s going — that’s a foregone conclusion — but how it gets there.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
But Miller’s refusal to bow out wasn’t a foregone conclusion, either.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
“I think endemicity is a foregone conclusion and measles will circulate at the level it did in the 1990s,” Adalja said.
From Salon ● Apr. 8, 2026
“It’s a bounce back from the extreme selloff we saw in software based on a foregone conclusion that AI would be the end of software,” said David Miller, chief investment officer for Catalyst Mutual Funds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
Indeed, the act of exhorting was designed to enhance the prospect by talking about it as if it were a foregone conclusion, which Washington most assuredly knew it was not.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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