Forewarning

Forewarning refers to the provision of notice or warning about a future event, condition, or danger before it occurs. It is intended to give recipients time to prepare, take precautionary measures, or adjust plans. Forewarning can be formal, such as official alerts issued by authorities, or informal, such as a spoken heads-up among colleagues.

In practice, forewarnings appear in multiple domains. Meteorology uses storm alerts and flood watches to prepare populations for adverse weather. Public safety and emergency management issue evacuation orders, siren warnings, and other notices to mitigate harm. Industry risk management relies on process safety alerts and cyber threat advisories to preempt incidents. In daily life, forewarnings include weather forecasts, road condition advisories, and product recalls.

Forewarning is distinct from related concepts. It is not the same as foreshadowing, a literary device that hints at future events within a narrative, or a premonition, which is a subjective feeling of impending events. In psychology, the forewarning effect refers to a phenomenon where warning people about a persuasive attempt reduces their susceptibility to attitude change, illustrating how anticipation can influence perception and behavior.

Etymology-wise, forewarning combines fore-, meaning before, with warn, dating back to Old English roots. The term has been used in various forms for centuries to describe advance notice that enables precaution and planning rather than immediate reaction.