as in cautious
having or showing awareness of and preparation for the future
prescient environmentalists and politicians who long ago made sure that these beautiful areas would forever be spared from development
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Recent Examples of prescient
Your movie, now almost 20 years old, shows how prescient Valentino was in bringing celebrities into the fashion world.
—
Matt Donnelly, Variety, 19 Jan. 2026
The Republican candidate was no mystery, a sleazy tabloid character since the 1970s, and the warnings about what his presidency would look like — including from GOP leadership that later bent the knee to the MAGA movement — have proved remarkably prescient.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 18 Jan. 2026
Coach Kyle Shanahan made a prescient statement to his team during the week regarding Kendricks stepping in as the starter based on years of experience playing against him with Minnesota and Dallas.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026
Betsy’s emphasis on coziness feels almost prescient — as if knowing how imperative an enveloping, intimate atmosphere would be needed — given that the place opened only a month before the Eaton fire.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Waterworld is, 30 years after its debut, depressingly prescient.
—Lia Beck, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025
Semafor’s perpetually prescient David Weigel noted in October the rise of a bipartisan cause in resistance to data centers.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 15 Dec. 2025
This question is particularly prescient in businesses working in high-stakes environments with strict legal and industry regulations, as a single error can jeopardize revenue, put partnerships at risk, or damage a company’s reputation.
—William Jones, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
River of Grass, directed by Sasha Wortzel, is a gorgeous documentary and an ode to the Florida Everglades, told through the prescient writings of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and those who today call the region home.
—Morgan Bassichis, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Matt Donnelly, Variety, 19 Jan. 2026
The Republican candidate was no mystery, a sleazy tabloid character since the 1970s, and the warnings about what his presidency would look like — including from GOP leadership that later bent the knee to the MAGA movement — have proved remarkably prescient.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 18 Jan. 2026
Coach Kyle Shanahan made a prescient statement to his team during the week regarding Kendricks stepping in as the starter based on years of experience playing against him with Minnesota and Dallas.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026
Betsy’s emphasis on coziness feels almost prescient — as if knowing how imperative an enveloping, intimate atmosphere would be needed — given that the place opened only a month before the Eaton fire.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Waterworld is, 30 years after its debut, depressingly prescient.
—Lia Beck, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025
Semafor’s perpetually prescient David Weigel noted in October the rise of a bipartisan cause in resistance to data centers.
—Ben Smith, semafor.com, 15 Dec. 2025
This question is particularly prescient in businesses working in high-stakes environments with strict legal and industry regulations, as a single error can jeopardize revenue, put partnerships at risk, or damage a company’s reputation.
—William Jones, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
River of Grass, directed by Sasha Wortzel, is a gorgeous documentary and an ode to the Florida Everglades, told through the prescient writings of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and those who today call the region home.
—Morgan Bassichis, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prescient
Adjective
-
The anticipated move would end a string of three consecutive quarter-point rate cuts, aligning with a cautious approach outlined by Powell last month, before reports of the investigation into his conduct.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Still, more cautious analysts have flagged weaker activity in China.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Drivers were advised to be careful in the snow, as there were problems on area roadways.—
Adam Harrington,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Publicly, both leaders had maintained careful language about Syria’s transition, emphasizing concerns for minority rights, human rights standards, and the need for inclusive governance.—
Güney Yıldız,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Avoiding these dangers and reducing the U.S. economy’s exposure to risk requires a careful, farsighted strategy that recognizes the reality of the United States’ place in today’s world.—
Don Graves,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Sep. 2025
-
No matter what compromises Lucas and our farsighted mayor at the time, Rahm Emanuel, offered, there was no compromise from this group.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
31 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Next Move feature delivers proactive suggestions based on what users are doing in the moment.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Additionally, taking proactive steps to boost your immune system by doing things like getting enough sleep, exercising regularly and eating a nutritious diet can help your body fight illnesses like the flu.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Working with our incredible Hello Sunshine team, Amazon, and our visionary writers and directors to bring Elle’s high school journey to life has been a tremendous joy.—
Jordan Bako,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2026
-
No wonder Zamiri has found himself in the inner circles of some of the world’s most interesting and sought-after stars, and not just as the visionary behind their music videos or press campaigns, but also as a friend and confidant.—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
When the financial picture feels fragmented (too many reports, too much noise, not enough forward-looking insight), leaders hesitate.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
That means integrating public data, voluntary, aggregated industry reporting, and all-source intelligence into a coherent, forward-looking picture.—
Noosheen Hashemi,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prescient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prescient. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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