Foregone Conclusion: Learn the Definition and Examples of this Helpful Idiom • 7ESL

Contents

What does the term ‘foregone conclusion’ mean and where did it come from in the first place? We are going to take a look at the answers to these questions as well as looking at how we can use this term in our conversations.

Foregone Conclusion

Foregone Conclusion Meaning

The meaning of the interesting idiomatic term ‘foregone conclusion’ relates to a decision that has been made before looking at all the evidence. It can mean a result which was inevitable.

Origin of this idiom

The phrase ‘foregone conclusion’ originally came from a play by William Shakeaspeare called Othello which was written in 1604. The context it was originally written in is as follows; ‘But this denoted a foregone conclusion, tis a shrewd doubt, though it be but a dream.’

“Foregone Conclusion” Examples

Examples in Statements

A statement showing that a particular winner was always expected.

‘Claire has won the contest ten years running, her victory this year was a foregone conclusion.’

This statement explains that something is a certainty before it has happened.

‘It’s a foregone conclusion that this painting will sell at auction, it is wanted by a lot of people.’

More helpful examples:

It was a foregone conclusion that I would end up in the same business as him.
The election result was a foregone conclusion.
The result of the match was a foregone conclusion.
It is equally a foregone conclusion that reform must come eventually.
Most voters believe the result is a foregone conclusion.

Conversation Examples

How can the term ‘foregone conclusion’ be used in a conversation? Here are some examples of how the phrase would look in conversation.

The first example is about a holiday destination being certain for many years running.

Person 1: “We always go to France for our holidays.”
Person 2: “Yes because Amy always decides to go there.”
Person 1: “Do you think she will want to go elsewhere this year?”
Person 2: “I think going to France is a foregone conclusion.”

This conversation states that a discussion is not needed if the outcome will always be the same.

Person 1: “We should wait for the others before making a final decision.”
Person 2: “There’s no need, hiring a new teacher is a foregone conclusion, we don’t need the others here to tell us that.”

Other Ways to Say the Phrase

There are other ways in which you might express the meaning of the term ‘foregone conclusion.’

Here are some examples of how you could say it.

A done deal
A surefire thing
A dead cert

Liam Daniel

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