1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

future 1 of 2

noun

Definition of futurenext
1
as in tomorrow
time that is to come in the future, there may be medical discoveries that are beyond our fondest dreams

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fate
what is going to happen to someone in the time ahead with such a strong academic record, his future looks bright

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

future

2 of 2

adjective

ˈfyü-chər How to pronounce future (audio)
as in coming
of a time after the present we must preserve our national parks in all their glory so that future generations can experience the majesty of nature

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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 future
Noun
Meta and its peers are betting their future on AI agents at a time when consumers are increasingly skeptical of the technology. — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026 Forrest says he was pushed into thinking about climate change in the 2010s by his daughter Sophia, who was anxious about the planet’s future. — Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Adjective
The Bills have become more of a media darling since the team drafted quarterback Josh Allen in 2018, as they were featured last year on HBO’s Hard Knocks and have seen Hollywood looking to the current players’ stories for future projects. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026 However, neuroscientists and other members of the natural sciences as well as philosophers continue to try to nail down how consciousness accounts for attributes that collectively define us as humans — and that might define a future AI. — Keith Tidman, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for future
Recent Examples of Synonyms for future
  1. tomorrow
  2. fate
  3. coming
  4. futurity
  5. destiny
  6. upcoming
  7. circumstance
  8. subsequent
Noun
  • Still some lingering light rain and breezy conditions across parts of the Northeast for tomorrow morning, but not a washout for most.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Today's regional conflict must not become tomorrow's world disaster.
    — Scott Simon, NPR, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of tomorrow
Noun
  • Dimitrios Kambouris | Getty Images Michael Burry is moving up the timeline for his bearish thesis on the fate of the artificial intelligence boom.
    — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026
  • On a political level, Shelley’s monster pandemic served as a warning of what horrifying fates might await the whole of humanity if conflict and irresponsibility were left unchecked worldwide.
    — Eileen Hunt, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of fate
Adjective
  • There are two Hall of Famers and another cinch to join her in the coming years; several All-Stars as well as a number of players who made an impact for short stints or simply stopped by for a cup of coffee.
    — From Staff Reports, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Scientists are forecasting more than 450,000 deaths because of intense heat generated by El Niño in the coming months, according to a new study from the Climate Impact Lab.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of coming
Noun
  • Established in 2023, the biennial prize is given in recognition of next-gen multidisciplinary artists working at the intersection of art, media, and technology to explore notions of futurity and transformation.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 4 Nov. 2025
  • This reading list offers resources for engaging with Indigenous thought, resistance, and futurity.
    — JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 11 Oct. 2025
Definition of futurity
Noun
  • And with the team dropping Monday night’s home matchup against the Atlanta Dream, 95-84, the Liberty lost any chance to host in the first round, and completely lost the opportunity to control its own destiny.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Combs was a beacon of inspiration not just for the Black community, but for those who admired the classic American spirit of forging one’s own destiny.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of destiny
Adjective
  • New subscribers will see the price increase starting today, while current customers will see the change reflected in their upcoming bills.
    — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Rolls-Royce announced the beginning of drive testing for the upcoming Project Nightingale convertible.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of upcoming
Noun
  • In its statement, FARDC said an investigation to determine the actual circumstances and the exact causes of the fatal plane crash was already underway.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Physiology, under the right circumstances, becomes disease or pathology.
    — Subramaniam C. Krishnan, STAT, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of circumstance
Adjective
  • The example shows how SpaceX can recover the booster from a crew launch and prepare it for a subsequent mission, while the spacecraft carrying the astronauts continues on its own.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
  • After subsequent stints heading up sales at Focus and then The Weinstein Company, Basner created FilmNation in 2008, initially uniquely as a sales company.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of subsequent

Browse Nearby Words

futons
future
futureless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Future.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/future. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on future

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about future

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of epistemic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All