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

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 noun
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 Even with prices edging down, Ivan Drury, director of insights at Edmunds, doesn't foresee sales of new vehicles rising dramatically this year. Tom Krisher, Quartz, 28 Feb. 2024 Agile leaders can foresee and interpret the trends and potential disruptions that may impact their organizations. Kathy Miller Perkins, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 The result in Tempe, in other words, was easily foreseen based on the trends of both participants. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024 Unlike prior colliders, which generally sought to minimize the amount of electrical engineering work underground, FCC’s preliminary designs foresee most of its electricity being distributed within the tunnel systems themselves. IEEE Spectrum, 17 Feb. 2024 The companies that can foresee and adapt to these shifts are the ones most likely to thrive amid market fluctuations. Jia Rizvi, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 What could not be foreseen, however, is where the conflict finds itself now. Tara Sonenshine, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2024 Anticipation among cannabis industry legal and policy experts is high, with many expecting rescheduling and foreseeing substantial implications. Summer Westerbur, Rolling Stone, 8 Feb. 2024 During the trial, defense attorney Shannon Smith argued that Jennifer Crumbley was an attentive parent who could not have foreseen her son’s rampage. Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 7 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foresee.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near foresee

Cite this Entry

“Foresee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foresee. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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

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