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fore·cast | \ ˈfȯr-ˌkast 
; fȯr-ˈkast \
; fȯr-ˈkast \forecast also forecasted; forecasting
Definition of forecast
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a : to calculate or predict (some future event or condition) usually as a result of study and analysis of available pertinent data
The company is forecasting reduced profits. especially : to predict (weather conditions) on the basis of correlated meteorological (see meteorology sense 1) observations They're forecasting rain for this weekend.
b : to indicate as likely to occur
Optimists are forecasting an immediate upswing in business.
2 : to serve as a forecast of : presage Such events may forecast peace.
: to calculate the future
if it turns out as I forecasted
forecast
nounfore·cast | \ ˈfȯr-ˌkast \
\Definition of forecast (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : a prophecy, estimate, or prediction of a future happening or condition
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Other Words from forecast
Verb
forecastable \ ˈfȯr-ˌka-stə-bəl \ adjective
\ adjectiveforecaster noun
Synonyms for forecast
Synonyms: Verb
Synonyms: Noun
- auguring,
- augury,
- bodement,
- cast,
- forecasting,
- foretelling,
- predicting,
- prediction,
- presaging,
- prognosis,
- prognostic,
- prognosticating,
- prognostication,
- prophecy
- (also prophesy),
- soothsaying,
- vaticination
Examples of forecast in a Sentence
Verb
They're forecasting rain for this weekend.
The company is forecasting reduced profits.
Experts forecast that the economy will slow in the coming months. Noun
want to catch the weather forecast so I'll know what kind of clothes to pack for the trip tomorrow
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Farther south, rain and thunderstorms were forecast along and ahead of the cold front, with heavy rainfall possible Saturday in parts of the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys.
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Washington Post, "Powerful storm pushes into Midwest with heavy snow and winds," 1 Dec. 2019 Farther south, rain and thunderstorms were forecast along and ahead of the cold front, with heavy rainfall possible Saturday in parts of the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys.
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Arkansas Online, "Wintry weather bedevils holiday weekend travelers around U.S.," 30 Nov. 2019 Online sales on Friday were forecast at $7.4 billion.
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Lisa Schencker, chicagotribune.com, "Earlier deals, online shopping shrink Black Friday crowds, but consumers still spending," 29 Nov. 2019 More higher-than-normal king tides are forecast to arrive with the new moon this week, a final round in a fall season that flooded coastal areas and reinforced the growing impacts of a rising sea.
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Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, "Amid rising seas, East Coast on pace for record-breaking tides: 'The new normal'," 27 Nov. 2019 The powerful late November storm was forecast to move out over northern Lake Michigan by late morning.
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Joe Taschler, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Storm continues to slam areas of central, western and northern Wisconsin; winds could gust to 55 mph in Milwaukee on Wednesday," 27 Nov. 2019 Heavy snow was forecast from Colorado to Michigan and from the upper Mississippi Valley, while a second storm was causing blizzard conditions and closing hundreds of miles of interstate highway in the Northwest.
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Alex Johnson, NBC News, "Heavy snow and wind could slam the brakes on Thanksgiving travel," 27 Nov. 2019 Summit, between Seligman and Ash Fork, as well as Twin Arrows are forecast to get 4 to 6 inches.
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Arizona Republic, azcentral, "Arizona road updates: Storm to impact travel on I-17, I-40 in northern Arizona," 27 Nov. 2019 The Chase Center experience was forecast to offer at least two years of championship-caliber play, with a packed house full of people who could tolerate the exorbitant prices.
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Bruce Jenkins, SFChronicle.com, "As the Warriors look ahead, the present looks bleak," 26 Nov. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun And the rain was forecast to continue through Tuesday, Shackelford said.
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Christina Maxouris, CNN, "Travelers returning to work are met with dangerous conditions as winter storm pumps snow over New England," 2 Dec. 2019 Another system is forecast to develop in the mid-Atlantic Sunday, moving as a nor’easter into Monday.
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BostonGlobe.com, "Blizzard conditions early Saturday were already buffeting the High Plains. The city of Duluth, Minn., issued a “no travel advisory” beginning at noon Saturday because of a snow storm it termed “historic.”," 2 Dec. 2019 Another system is forecast to develop in the mid-Atlantic Sunday, moving into a nor'easter by Monday.
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Michael R. Sisak, Anchorage Daily News, "Deadly storm moves cross country taking aim at Northeast," 2 Dec. 2019 Another system is forecast to develop in the mid-Atlantic Sunday, moving as a nor’easter into Monday.
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Washington Post, "Powerful storm pushes into Midwest with heavy snow and winds," 1 Dec. 2019 Another system is forecast to develop in the mid-Atlantic today, moving as a nor'easter into Monday.
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Arkansas Online, "Travel hassles teem courtesy of the weather; snow, wind, rain confound post-holiday journeys home," 1 Dec. 2019 Another system is forecast to develop in the mid-Atlantic Sunday, moving as a nor'easter into Monday.
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Anita Snow, chicagotribune.com, "Powerful storm disrupts holiday travel, dumping heavy snow from California to northern Midwest," 30 Nov. 2019 Rain is forecast for Lexington Saturday, setting up the fourth bad-weather game for Kentucky this season and increasing the emphasis on the run game.
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Jon Hale, The Courier-Journal, "What Kentucky football needs to do Saturday to keep the Governor's Cup," 29 Nov. 2019 Amazon’s legion of delivery drivers is about to face its biggest test yet as online holiday shopping this year is forecast to hit yet another record.
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NBC News, "Inside Amazon's delivery push: Employees and drivers say an overworked system is lax on safety as packages pile up," 27 Nov. 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'forecast.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Learn More about forecast
From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
'Broadcast' or 'Broadcasted'?
'Broadcast' or 'Broadcasted'?
On the conjugation of an irregular verb
Dictionary Entries near forecast
See More Nearby EntriesStatistics for forecast
Last Updated
4 Dec 2019
Look-up Popularity
Cite this Entry
“Forecast.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forecast. Accessed 11 December 2019.
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More Definitions for forecast
forecast
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of forecast
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to say that (something) will happen in the future : to predict (something, such as weather) after looking at the information that is available
forecast
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of forecast (Entry 2 of 2)
: a statement about what you think is going to happen in the future
See the full definition for forecast in the English Language Learners Dictionary
forecast
verbfore·cast | \ ˈfȯr-ˌkast \
\forecast; forecasting
Kids Definition of forecast
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to predict often after thought and study of available evidence
forecast
nounKids Definition of forecast (Entry 2 of 2)
: a prediction of something in the future
a weather forecast
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Time Traveler for forecast
The first known use of forecast was in the 15th century
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