Foregone conclusion
A foregone conclusion is a result people regard as certain before it happens or before all the evidence is known; the phrase appears in Shakespeare's Othello, where Othello treats a supposed dream as evidence of an affair.
Where it comes from
The phrase in Othello
In Othello, the phrase points to something supposedly settled already. Othello takes Iago's account of Cassio's dream as a sign that Cassio and Desdemona have been lovers.
Iago claims that Cassio spoke lovingly to Desdemona in his sleep. Othello accepts this invented account as evidence of something that has already happened.
In Othello by William Shakespeare
What it means now
Today, the phrase usually describes a future result treated as inevitable. It can express confidence, but it can also warn that someone has decided too soon.
In Pride and Prejudice, Mr Collins treats Elizabeth's eventual acceptance of his proposal as practically certain, even after she refuses him. His confidence shows how an assumed outcome can prove wrong.
In Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
How to use Foregone conclusion
- Name the result that seems certain.
- Use the phrase when little genuine doubt appears to remain.
- Make clear whether that certainty is justified or merely assumed.
Does a foregone conclusion have to come true?
No, a foregone conclusion is an outcome treated as certain, not a guarantee that it will happen. The phrase can describe a strong prediction, but it can also expose overconfidence. Context tells the reader whether the certainty is sensible or mistaken.
Does it mean the same thing in Othello as it does today?
Not quite: in Othello, it concerns an alleged event already completed, while modern use usually concerns a result still to come. Othello believes Iago's story reveals a past affair. Today, someone might call an election result a foregone conclusion before voting ends.
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