foresee

verb

fore·​see fȯr-ˈsē How to pronounce foresee (audio)
foresaw fȯr-ˈsȯ How to pronounce foresee (audio) ; foreseen fȯr-ˈsēn How to pronounce foresee (audio) ; foreseeing
Synonyms of foreseenext

transitive verb

: to see (something, such as a development) beforehand
He could not have foreseen the consequences of his actions.
She foresaw the company's potential and invested early on.
foreseer
fȯr-ˈsē-ər How to pronounce foresee (audio)
-ˈsir
noun

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for foresee

foresee, foreknow, divine, anticipate mean to know beforehand.

foresee implies nothing about how the knowledge is derived and may apply to ordinary reasoning and experience.

economists should have foreseen the recession

foreknow usually implies supernatural assistance, as through revelation.

if only we could foreknow our own destinies

divine adds to foresee the suggestion of exceptional wisdom or discernment.

was able to divine Europe's rapid recovery from the war

anticipate implies taking action about or responding emotionally to something before it happens.

the waiter anticipated our every need

Examples of foresee in a Sentence

We couldn't have foreseen the consequences of our actions. He foresees a day when all war will cease. She foresaw the company's potential and invested early on.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When Natalia Grace was adopted from Ukraine into the Barnett family as a six-year-old child, no one could have foreseen that the situation would devolve into something that spurred court battles, criminal charges, and multiple documentaries and shows. — Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025 When asked about their personal financial outlook in retirement, 22 percent of millennials foresee a decline in their retirement finances, and 26 percent expect no change. — Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025 Counsel should try to foresee and prevent any misconstruction. — Joshua Stein, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025 Trump and Musk campaigned on cutting government waste, but few could foresee the sweeping scale and speed of their efforts, which show no signs of slowing down two months into Trump’s second term. — Haisten Willis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foresee

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foresee was before the 12th century

Rhymes for foresee

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Browse Nearby Words

foresay
foresee
foreseeable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foresee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foresee. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

foresee

verb
fore·​see fōr-ˈsē How to pronounce foresee (audio)
fȯr-
foresaw -ˈsȯ How to pronounce foresee (audio) ; foreseen -ˈsēn How to pronounce foresee (audio) ; foreseeing
: to see or realize beforehand : expect
foreseeable
-ˈsē-ə-bəl
adjective
foreseer
-ˈsē-ər
noun

Legal Definition

foresee

transitive verb
fore·​see
foresaw; foreseen; foreseeing
: to be aware of the reasonable possibility of (as an occurrence or development) beforehand

More from Merriam-Webster on foresee

Nglish: Translation of foresee for Spanish Speakers

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