futurist

noun

fu·​tur·​ist ˈfyü-chə-rist 

1

: one who studies and predicts the future especially on the basis of current trends

2

: one who advocates or practices futurism

futurist adjective

Synonyms of futurist

• diviner
• forecaster
• prophet
• mystic
• sibyl

Examples of futurist in a Sentence

economic futurists predict a new world order in which information is the resource that drives a nation's economy

Recent Examples on the Web

The film turns the princess tale into a passage across medieval fantasy, retro-futurist sci-fi and the present day. — Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026

ChatGPT had its moment in 2022; some futurists say that the robot moment will occur as soon as 2027. — Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026

The former chief futurist at OpenAI predicts that there will inevitably be rogue AI agents operating independently of human control. — Benjamin Guggenheim, Washington Post, 1 Sep. 2026

Whereas futurists look forward to achieving eternal life by uploading their brains to the cloud, many prefer a more traditional conception of salvation. — Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

futurist

noun

fu·​tur·​ist ˈfyü-chə-rəst 

: a person who tries to tell what the future will be like by studying current trends