foray

USAGE SUMMARY

"foray" is a perfectly valid word in written English.
It is typically used to describe a brief excursion, raid, or attack, often for the purpose of exploration, plunder, or other gain. Example sentence: I decided to make a foray into the woods, looking for edible plants and medicinal herbs to add to my medicine cabinet.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's not his only foray into the bizarre.

The Guardian - Books

There was a brief foray into spiced and stir-fried haslet (a meatloaf made with pig offal), which didn't last long.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It was not Amazon's first foray into music – it sells MP3 downloads – but it was a major move in the battle to dominate the next generation of music listening technology.

The Guardian

Tony Abbott resorted to playing these games too, like the foray into the history wars in the last week of the campaign.

The Guardian

Since BT's first foray into the field, it has been accredited by both the Care Quality Commission and the Telecare Services Association to take over telehealth services from Peninsula Community Health and telecare services from Cornwall Council as part of a ten-year partnership; BT Cornwall.

The Guardian

With this foray into foreign affairs, Mr Miliband shows he is not always a dove, but takes a case-by-case approach to intervention.

The Guardian - Opinion

Shane Geraghty was shown a yellow card by Greg Gardner for deliberate offside when Falcons made a foray into the home 22 but Catterick, who had just landed their first points with a penalty, opted to kick to the corner and 14-man Irish snuffed out the danger.

The Guardian - Sport

Owned by Asia's luxury Banyan Tree Group, the collection marks the company's first foray into Africa.

The Guardian - Travel

Guidetti then replaced Griffiths before a shot from Tansey from the edge of the box in a rare Caley foray forwards, was deflected for a corner which, like Celtic's late attacks, came to nothing.

The Guardian - Sport

The film stages a foray into the historical record with a visually impressive recreation of the battle of Kadesh, circa 1274 BC, fought by the Egyptians against the Hittites in what is now Syria.

The Guardian - Film

Today's result will be welcome news for the studio behind the veteran director's first foray into 3D; at the Golden Globe nominations in December, Hugo trailed with a disappointing three nominations, while The Artist helped strenghten its odds for a best picture win at February's Oscars by leading the pack with six.

The Guardian - Film

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "foray" when you want to describe a new or initial attempt into a specific field or activity, emphasizing a tentative or exploratory approach.

Common error

Avoid using "foray" to describe well-established or long-term involvements. It's best suited for initial ventures or short-term experiments, not ongoing operations.

Linguistic Context

The word "foray" primarily functions as a noun, referring to a sudden attack or incursion, or a new venture or attempt. Ludwig AI shows it commonly describes initial entries into new fields, as seen in examples like "first foray into Africa" or "foray into northern politics".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

23%

Sport

6%

Less common in

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "foray" is a versatile term most frequently encountered in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts. As affirmed by Ludwig AI, it serves to describe either a sudden incursion or, more commonly, an initial venture or attempt into a new area. Examples show usage ranging from "first foray into Africa" to "brief foray into spiced and stir-fried haslet". While "foray" is generally grammatically correct, remember that it refers primarily to new or tentative involvement, and use alternatives like "venture" or "incursion" if the context requires.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

brief incursion

Highlights the short duration and intrusive nature of the action.

raid

Focuses on sudden attack or intrusion.

initial venture

Emphasizes the beginning or starting point of an undertaking.

exploratory attempt

Focuses on the investigative and experimental aspect of the action.

sortie

Implies a sudden attack from a defensive position.

preliminary step

Highlights the preparatory or introductory nature of the action.

attack

Highlights the aggressive nature of the action, emphasizing confrontation.

trial run

Suggests a test or experiment before a full commitment.

first taste

Implies an initial experience or introduction to something.

test case

Frames the action as an example or model for future actions.

FAQs

How to use "foray" in a sentence?

You can use "foray" to describe a brief excursion or attempt into a new area. For example, "The company's "foray into the stock market" was unsuccessful".

What can I say instead of "foray"?

You can use alternatives like "venture", "incursion", or "raid", depending on the context.

Which is correct, "foray into" or "foray in"?

"Foray into" is the correct preposition to use with "foray" when describing an entry or attempt into a new area. "Foray in" is not standard usage.

What's the difference between "foray" and "raid"?

While both can imply an intrusion, "foray" often suggests a more exploratory or tentative attempt, whereas "raid" implies a more aggressive or forceful intrusion.