foresee

verb

fore·​see fȯr-ˈsē 

foresaw fȯr-ˈsȯ  ; foreseen fȯr-ˈsēn  ; 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

fȯr-ˈsē-ər 

-ˈsir

noun

Synonyms

• anticipate
• divine
• forefeel
• foreknow
• prevision

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

This familiarity enables them to make informed decisions, foresee obstacles, and craft solutions that are uniquely suited to your organization. —Don Yaeger, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025

The chaos and fear that would soon unfold couldn't be foreseen at the time, but would mark the start of a period marked by uncertainty and public health transformation. —Sam Woodward, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2025

For those who choose to rebuild, brokers foresee a multiyear process. —Hadley Meares, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Jan. 2025

Murat Erdogan also doesn’t foresee large-scale returns in the short term but notes that Turkish society expects Syrians to leave. —Alia Malek, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

foresee

verb

fore·​see fōr-ˈsē 

fȯr-

foresaw -ˈsȯ  ; foreseen -ˈsēn  ; 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