Word
prophesy
Phoneticsproph·esy
UK/pɹˈɒfəsi/
Definition
v. to say what will happen in the future, especially because of religious belief or strong feeling. You use it when someone claims special knowledge, not just a normal guess.
v. to predict future events, especially through divine inspiration or religious authority. Implies a claim of supernatural or intuitive knowledge rather than evidence-based forecasting.
Examples
“They prophesy a bright future for the new school.”
“The old priest claimed to prophesy drought and famine if the village ignored the warning.”
“Historians note that leaders who prophesy national renewal in times of crisis often gain loyal followers, even when their promises lack clear evidence.”
Examples
simple
“They prophesy a bright future for the new school.”
contextual
“The old priest claimed to prophesy drought and famine if the village ignored the warning.”
complex
“Historians note that leaders who prophesy national renewal in times of crisis often gain loyal followers, even when their promises lack clear evidence.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “prophesy” in context.
Verb
01. oracle prophesy
“The ancient oracle prophesied victory for the invading army.”
noun + verb
02. prophesy disaster
“He prophesied disaster if the country left the trade alliance.”
verb + noun
03. prophesy doom
“Pundits love to prophesy doom whenever markets dip slightly.”
verb + noun
04. prophesy downfall
“She prophesied the downfall of the corrupt dynasty.”
verb + noun
Adjective
05. boldly prophesy
“The activist boldly prophesied the collapse of the regime within a decade.”
adv + verb
06. correctly prophesy
“Few analysts correctly prophesied the scale of the financial crisis.”
adv + verb
07. falsely prophesy
“The cult leader falsely prophesied the end of the world in 2012.”
adv + verb
Noun
08. prophesy about future
“He claimed to prophesy about the future during his sermons.”
verb + prep + noun
09. prophesy of revival
“The scriptures prophesy of a final spiritual revival.”
verb + prep + noun
10. falsely prophesy the end
“He falsely prophesied the end of democracy after the vote.”
11. prophesy a bleak future
“Critics prophesied a bleak future for the peace talks.”
12. prophesy doom and gloom
“The tabloids always prophesy doom and gloom before every election.”
Usage
Takes a direct object or a 'that'-clause for the predicted event; can also be used without an object.
Pitfall
his prophesy came true
his prophecy came true
Prophesy is the verb; prophecy is the noun for the prediction itself.
Etymology
From Middle English prophecien; partly from prophecie, and partly from Middle French prophecier, prophesier, from prophecie (“prophecy”). Doublet of prophecy.
From Middle English prophecie.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/prophesy