hindsight

noun

hind·​sight ˈhīn(d)-ˌsīt 

: perception of the nature of an event after it has happened

In hindsight, it's clear there were alternatives.

Hindsight is twenty-twenty.

Examples of hindsight in a Sentence

It's easy for us to say that the war was wrong, but we have the advantage of hindsight.

Recent Examples on the Web

In hindsight, school closures may have saved lives, but prolonged isolation took a dangerous toll on our population. —Orlando Sentinel and Virginian Pilot Editorial Boards, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2025

In hindsight, the two pursuits were not mutually exclusive. —Dennis Lin, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025

However, in hindsight, having a whistle — something Dyason never hikes without — would have been much more effective. —Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 23 Mar. 2025

Tammie Brown Making sense of drag queen Tammie Brown's wacky mind is a fool's errand — and yet, RuPaul casting her to help launch the inaugural season of Drag Race seems an obvious choice, in hindsight, within the Drag Race fantasy. —Ew Staff, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hindsight

• twenty-twenty hindsight

Rhymes for hindsight

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight

Kids Definition

hindsight

noun

hind·​sight ˈhīn(d)-ˌsīt 

: realization of the meaning or importance of an event only after it has happened