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
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.
Like most Fortitude Ranchers, Larry could foresee society breaking down in a number of ways: a nuclear detonation, another pandemic, or rising political violence that could split the country into warring factions. Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024 Reynolds foresees the base color palette trending towards ivory and wood tones then laying in color. Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2024 Such power brings both immense potential and significant risks, as AI systems, when acting independently, may develop approaches or behaviors that were neither foreseen nor intended by their creators. Hamilton Mann, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 After this monster run, the average analyst only foresees further upside of about 2.5% for Walmart over the next year, the LSEG survey says. Alex Harring, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near foresee

Cite this Entry

“Foresee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foresee. Accessed 21 Nov. 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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