foresee

Synonym Chooser

How is the word foresee different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of foresee are anticipate, divine, and foreknow. While all these words 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

When could anticipate be used to replace foresee?

Although the words anticipate and foresee have much in common, anticipate implies taking action about or responding emotionally to something before it happens.

the waiter anticipated our every need

How are the words divine and foresee related?

Divine adds to foresee the suggestion of exceptional wisdom or discernment.

was able to divine Europe's rapid recovery from the war

When is it sensible to use foreknow instead of foresee?

The synonyms foreknow and foresee are sometimes interchangeable, but foreknow usually implies supernatural assistance, as through revelation.

if only we could foreknow our own destinies

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of foresee The Fed lowers its key interest rate by another quarter point, but foresees just two cuts in 2025. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025 But what was meant to be a phone call to a dying child went very differently than anyone could have foreseen — with Carter being just as impressed by the young boy as Mattie was by him. Elissa Rosen, People.com, 30 Dec. 2024 These efforts involve tracking space debris more precisely and deploying predictive systems to foresee and circumvent potential in-orbit collisions. David Faris, Newsweek, 28 Dec. 2024 What Valya doesn’t foresee, however, is that there’s a competing conspiracy working against her plans (albeit one that doesn’t involve Javicco’s death). Keith Phipps, Vulture, 22 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for foresee 

Thesaurus Entries Near foresee

Cite this Entry

“Foresee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foresee. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on foresee

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