Foresee Meaning and Definition
Foresee
Pronunciation
/ˈfɒriːsiː/
Part of Speech
Verb
Definition
To anticipate or predict the future or a particular situation.
Examples
- She could see the storm approaching and foresees a long delay.
- He foresaw the company’s financial troubles and sold his stocks before they tanked.
Synonyms
- Anticipate
- Predict
- Foretell
Antonyms
- Unexpect
- Surprise
Additional Information
Foreseeing is an important skill in many areas of life, including business, psychology, and meteorology. It can help individuals make informed decisions, prepare for potential risks, and take advantage of opportunities.
However, foreseeing is not always easy and can be influenced by various factors, such as intuition, experience, and available data.
Etymology
The word “foresee” originates from the Old English words “fore” meaning “before” and “seon” meaning “to see”. Over time, the word evolved to encompass the idea of anticipating or predicting the future.
Usage Notes
When using “foresee” in writing, it is common to use the present tense, as in “I foresee a challenging week ahead”. However, the verb can also be used in the past tense, as in “I foresaw the economic downturn and adjusted my investments accordingly”.
Cultural References
The concept of foreseeing is often explored in science fiction, where characters use advanced technology or intuition to anticipate future events.
Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases
“Foresee the future” is a common idiomatic expression that means to anticipate or predict what will happen in the future.
Related Words or Phrases
- Forecast
- Prediction
- Anticipation
Collocations
- foresee a crisis
- foresee a problem
- foresee a new trend
Frequency of Use
According to the Oxford English Corpus, “foresee” is used in approximately 1% of all written texts.
Common Misspellings
- Foreseee
- Foreseeed