‘For’ vs ‘Four’ vs ‘Fore’: What’s the Difference Between Them?

In the English language, there are tons of words that sound the same, but mean different things, such as ‘for,’ ‘four,’ and ‘fore.’ So, what’s the difference between them? We’ll answer that in this article, plus teach you how to use all three words correctly in a sentence.

Need a quick answer?

Here it is:

• ‘For’ is a preposition that’s used to describe one thing in relation to another thing. It means in support of.
• ‘Four’ refers to the number four.
• ‘Fore’ refers to something that occupies a front position.

As you can see, these words all sound the same but mean different things, making them homophones. So, avoid using them interchangeably.

How to Use ‘For, ‘Four,’ and ‘Fore’ Correctly

The words ‘for,’ ‘four,’ and ‘fore’ are homophones, which means they sound exactly the same when spoken aloud, but they have different meanings.

• To use them correctly, you’ll need to know what they mean.

‘For’ is a preposition that’s used to describe something in relation to another thing.

For example, you might say:

'I want to do something for my mother on Mother's Day.'

‘Four’ is a number that’s one more than three or the fourth in a set or series.

For example, you might hear someone say:

'I have four tacos. I don't know if I can eat them all, but I'm going to try!'

‘Fore’ can be a noun, adverb, or adjective and mean situated in the front of something or before.

For example, you might hear someone say:

'Rosa Parks was a civil rights activist at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement.'

‘For’ or ‘Fore’ or ‘Four’ – Which to Use? 

So, how do you know which one to use?

• When you’re describing something in relation to something else, use ‘for.’

For example, you might hear someone say:

I need more money for a bike.

• When you’re counting, use ‘four.’

For example, you might hear a kid say:

'I need one more dollar. I only have four!'

• When you’re talking about being in the front of something, or as part of a word such as ‘beforehand.’

For example, you might hear someone say:

'We should have gotten snacks beforehand. The movie’s starting now.'

Definition of ‘For’: What Does ‘For’ Mean?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘for’ as:

• Used as a function word to indicate purpose.

It could also mean:

• Used as a function word to indicate an intended goal
• Used as a function word to indicate the object or recipient of a perception, desire, or activity
• As being or constituting
• Used as a function word to indicate an actual or implied enumeration or selection
• Because of
• Used as a function word to indicate suitability or fitness
• In place of
• On behalf of (representing)
• In favor of
• In spite of (usually used with all)
• With respect to (concerning)
• Used as a function word to indicate equivalence in exchange
• Equality in number or quantity
• Or correspondence or correlation
• Used as a function word to indicate the number of attempts
• Used as a function word to indicate the duration of time or extent of space
• In honor of (after)
• For the reason that (because)

Synonyms of the word include:

• Because
• Since
• As
• Now
• Whereas
• Seeing
  As long as
• Considering
• Being (as or as how or that)

Definition of ‘Four’: What Does ‘Four’ Mean?

The same dictionary defines ‘four’ as:

• A number that is one more than three.

It could also mean:

• The fourth in a set or series
• Something having four units or members, such as a 4-oared racing shell or its crew
• A 4-cylinder engine or automobile

Definition of ‘Fore’: What Does ‘Fore’ Mean?

The definition of ‘fore’ is:

• Something that occupies a front position.

It can also mean:

• In, toward, or near the front (forward)
• The situation in front of something else (forward)
• Prior in order of occurrence (former)
• In the presence of
• Before
• Used by a golfer to warn anyone within range of the probable line of flight of the ball
• Earlier (beforehand)
• Situated at the front (in front)
• The front part of (something specified)
• Foremast

Synonyms of the word include:

• Anterior
• Forward
• Frontward
• Front
• Frontal
• Ahead of
• Before
• Previous to
• Ere
• Of
• To
• Prior To

Pronunciation: How to Pronounce ‘For,’ ‘Four,’ and ‘Fore’

Are you unsure of how to pronounce these words?

Here’s a short guide.

To pronounce them all correctly, here’s the phonetic spelling:

FAW

How to Use ‘For,’ ‘Four,’ and ‘Fore’ in a Sentence 

Now that you know how to pronounce the words and what they mean, let’s see some examples of how to use each one in a sentence.

For

• My cousin asked me to take him to the mall for an interview he has at Target on Friday. I hope he gets the job.
• My husband used to say that he would do anything for me. It’s been really hard since he passed away last week.
• What are you going to do for my birthday this year? I want you to make this the happiest birthday I’ve ever had.
• What are we doing for Valentine’s Day this year? I know you have something amazing planned like you do every year! I can’t wait till tonight.

Four

• We have four dogs and two cats. My fiancé really loves animals, and she eventually wants a farm one day.
• I counted four cookies in the cookie jar last night. Now there are only two. Who snuck in here and ate two cookies?
• My sister puts four braids in my hair at nighttime so that when I wake up in the morning, my hair will be full of beautiful curls once I take them out.
• It usually takes four years to finish college, but sometimes, students change their majors a few times, so it could take longer. It took me a while to get my undergraduate degree because I just couldn’t figure out exactly what to major in.

Fore 

• If we had known beforehand that we were going to get stranded out in the woods, we would have prepared appropriately. I would have brought a lot more food and something to keep warm.
• A lot of my ancestors were at the forefront of incredible discoveries. I’ve learned that I’m related to several great inventors and scientists.
• We remained at the fore of the deck for most of the trip. I wasn’t sure exactly where we were allowed to go on the ship.
• In times of crisis, Sandra’s always at the fore, ready to assist with any and everything. She’s such a saint.

Final Thoughts on ‘For,’ ‘Four,’ and ‘Fore’

To recap, we learned the following:

• ‘For’ is a preposition that’s used to describe one thing in relation to another thing. It means in support of.
• ‘Four’ is a noun and refers to the number four.
• ‘Fore’ is a noun, adverb, preposition, adjective, and interjection and refers to something that occupies a front position.

Remember, these words all sound the same but mean different things, making them homophones.

So, avoid using them interchangeably.

If you ever get stuck on anything, feel free to come back here to review what you learned. We’ve got a ton of other content on confusing words and phrases you might find useful as you’re learning the language. Go check it out anytime.