How to pronounce forethought
Say it like FOR-thawt. Forethought has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FOR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce forethought. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FOR
- thawt
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Forethought pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- thawtGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of forethought
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: FAW-thawt.
What does forethought mean?
- Thinking beforehand or in advance, planning; prior or previous consideration.“With a little forethought we'd have planned for this contingency and not been stuck here now.”
- Anticipation.
- Provident care; prudence.
- Thought of, or planned, beforehand.
- simple past and past participle of forethink
Where does forethought come from?
From Middle English forethouht, forethoght, from Old English *foreþōht (“forethought”); equivalent to fore- + thought.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying forethought
How do you pronounce forethought?
Say FOR-thawt. The American pronunciation is /ˈfɔrˌθɔt/. In British English it is /ˈfɔːˌθɔːt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in forethought?
Forethought has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FOR). Broken into parts: FOR · thawt.
Is forethought 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 /ˈfɔːˌθɔːt/ (FAW-thawt).