foresight

noun

fore·​sight ˈfȯr-ˌsīt 

1

: an act or the power of foreseeing : prescience

Through foresight she could tell what the outcome would be.

2

: provident care : prudence

had the foresight to invest his money wisely

3

: an act of looking forward

also : a view forward

foresighted

ˈfȯr-ˌsī-təd 

adjective

foresightedly adverb

foresightedness noun

foresightful

ˈfȯr-ˌsīt-fəl 

adjective

Synonyms

• foreknowledge
• prescience

Examples of foresight in a Sentence

They had the foresight to invest the money wisely.

His career choice shows a lack of foresight.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bottom Line Rather than debating trade policy, today’s business leaders should focus on agility and strategic foresight. —Greg Khojikian, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

Vaughn Hardenberg Westwood Where was the foresight? —Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2025

And now, as her Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation fights to maintain mental health resources for Black communities amid widespread DEI cutbacks, that same financial foresight is proving more valuable than ever. —Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 6 May 2025

Discovering entails foresight and strategic sensemaking, scanning the horizon for signals of change like technological shifts and behavioral trends, and interpreting their implications. —William Jones, USA Today, 3 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for foresight

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite

Kids Definition

foresight

noun

fore·​sight ˈfō(ə)r-ˌsīt 

ˈfȯ(ə)r-

1

: the act or power of foreseeing

2

: care or preparation for the future

had the foresight to invest his money wisely

foresighted

-ˌsīt-əd 

adjective

foresightedly adverb

foresightedness noun