forewarn

American

[fawr-wawrn, fohr-] / fɔrˈwɔrn, foʊr- /

verb (used with object)

to warn in advance.

Synonyms:

prewarn, alert, admonish, caution

forewarn British

/ fɔːˈwɔːn /

verb

(tr) to warn beforehand

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

forewarner noun
forewarningly adverb
unforewarned adjective
well-forewarned adjective

Etymology

Origin of forewarn

First recorded in 1300–50, forewarn is from the Middle English word forwarnen. See fore-, warn

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.

Pilots can then forewarn passengers and crew, encouraging them to take their seat and buckle up before a jolt hits.

From Scientific American • Jul. 1, 2023

China's civil aviation authority will forewarn and issue notices in advance for any space activities, Wang said.

From Reuters • Apr. 14, 2023

We constantly tried to forewarn our partners — but for the most part, they thought it was an exaggeration, an example of Russophobia.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2022

Businesses that didn’t forewarn customers should attempt to reach out, by forwarding a company phone to a cell phone, for example, or using a mobile phone as a hot spot for an internet connection.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 1, 2021

She seemed to always have premonitions of their coming and would forewarn my father.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023