How to pronounce foreshadow
Say it like for-SHAD-oh. Foreshadow has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SHAD).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce foreshadow. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- for
- SHAD
- oh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Foreshadow pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- forKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- SHADSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "a" in cat.
- ohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
American vs British pronunciation of foreshadow
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: faw-SHAD-oh.
What does foreshadow mean?
- To suggest (someone or something) in advance; to prefigure, to presage.
- Of a person: to have an intuition or premonition about (something); to forebode.
- A suggestion of something in advance; a harbinger, a portent.
Where does foreshadow come from?
The noun is derived from fore- + shadow (“faint and imperfect representation”, noun), probably modeled after the verb which is attested earlier.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with foreshadow
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of foreshadow.
Questions about saying foreshadow
How do you pronounce foreshadow?
Say for-SHAD-oh. The American pronunciation is /fɔrˈʃædoʊ/. In British English it is /fɔːˈʃædəʊ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in foreshadow?
Foreshadow has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (SHAD). Broken into parts: for · SHAD · oh.
Is foreshadow pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /fɔːˈʃædəʊ/ (faw-SHAD-oh).