Synonyms of foresee

foresee

verb

fȯr-ˈsē 

as in to anticipate

to realize or know about beforehand

a freak accident that no one could possibly have foreseen

Synonyms & Similar Words

• anticipate
• predict
• divine
• fear
• envision
• foreknow
• foretell
• envisage
• prevision
• presage
• forecast
• visualize
• perceive
• prognosticate
• foreshadow
• prophesy
• forefeel
• prefigure
• dread
• forewarn
• augur
• alert
• caution
• discern
• preview
• apprehend
• foretoken
• descry

Synonym Chooser

How is the word foresee different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of foresee are anticipate, divine, and foreknow. While all these words mean "to know beforehand," foresee implies nothing about how the knowledge is derived and may apply to ordinary reasoning and experience.

economists should have foreseen the recession

When could anticipate be used to replace foresee?

Although the words anticipate and foresee have much in common, anticipate implies taking action about or responding emotionally to something before it happens.

the waiter anticipated our every need

How are the words divine and foresee related?

Divine adds to foresee the suggestion of exceptional wisdom or discernment.

was able to divine Europe's rapid recovery from the war

When is it sensible to use foreknow instead of foresee?

The synonyms foreknow and foresee are sometimes interchangeable, but foreknow usually implies supernatural assistance, as through revelation.

if only we could foreknow our own destinies

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of foresee

Wind gusts of up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail (1 inch) are foreseen. — Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 11 June 2026

Head coach Mike Vrabel foresees the Patriots making a move to add at the position coming out of minicamp. — Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026

The Mag 7 could become the Mag 10 Some investors, however, don’t foresee a large-scale reallocation resulting from the upcoming IPOs, since AI investment is so heavily intertwined within the tech sector and through different value chains. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 10 June 2026

Perhaps foreseeing such a contentious contest, Pelosi's daughter Christine Pelosi, a longtime party organizer and attorney, opted to run for California state Senate in 2028 following her mother's retirement announcement. — Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026