foregone

American  

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

adjective

1. that has gone go 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

“This started as a foregone conclusion. It didn’t look that way as we went forward. So, for our basketball team, the fact we didn’t give up makes it special. We fought.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

California currently has the highest average gasoline price at $5.14, but the $6 price level as an average for the state is not a foregone conclusion just yet, De Haan said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026

What we know now—that the ground phase of the Gulf War proved a 100-hour testament to American martial prowess—was no foregone conclusion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

Nevertheless, it is important to remember that this isn’t yet a foregone conclusion by any means—and that there are multiple uphill slogs ahead for PSWBD.

From Slate • Feb. 27, 2026

Despite the confident and providential statements of leaders like Paine, Jefferson, and Adams, the conclusions that look so foregone to us had yet to congeal for them.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis