futurist

noun

fu·​tur·​ist ˈfyü-chə-rist 

1

: one who studies and predicts the future especially on the basis of current trends

2

: one who advocates or practices futurism

futurist adjective

Synonyms

• augur
• diviner
• forecaster
• foreseer
• foreteller
• fortune-teller
• prognosticator
• prophesier
• prophet
• seer
• soothsayer
• visionary

Examples of futurist in a Sentence

economic futurists predict a new world order in which information is the resource that drives a nation's economy

Recent Examples on the Web

Globally renowned futurist, innovation guru, and keynote speaker Robert B. Tucker inspires audiences to capitalize on today’s important trends. —Robert B. Tucker, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

The automatic foxhole-digging charges, for example, never materialized as an effective replacement for the beloved handheld entrenching tool, despite their prevalence among military futurists at the time. —Jared Keller, WIRED, 18 Oct. 2024

Larry English is a workplace futurist, passionate about all things innovation, but particularly technology that drives disruptive change. —Larry English, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

Greene later surfaced a nine-year-old CBS News clip featuring futurist and physicist Michio Kaku discussing experimental lab research into weather modification using lasers. —Tess Owen, WIRED, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

futurist

noun

fu·​tur·​ist ˈfyü-chə-rəst 

: a person who tries to tell what the future will be like by studying current trends