Thesaurus results for FORESEE

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

foresee

verb

fȯr-ˈsē

Definition of foresee

as in to anticipate

to realize or know about beforehand a freak accident that no one could possibly have foreseen

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of foresee Looking to the future, Mastrangelo foresees an industrywide return to small-batch practice as a template for sustaining one’s business. — Adrian Madlener, Curbed, 30 Sep. 2026 In fact, Rystad foresees oil at $85-$90 per barrel in the last three months of the year, and falling to $80-$82 next year if Hormuz is reopened. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026 For the OGs, who couldn’t foresee the full scope of what this meant, the consequences might feel the starkest. — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026 Despite the hype, investors don't foresee a big move — and some think the news could prompt investors to offload shares. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foresee

Recent Examples of Synonyms for foresee

anticipate

Verb

The Duo could also prove more accessible than some industry watchers had anticipated.

— MacKenzie Sigalos,Kif Leswing, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Some strategists, anticipating that the committee may raise flags, now try to get ahead of the process by submitting additional documentation, including filmmaker quotes and source materials, to explain why a film belongs in its intended category.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of anticipate

Browse Nearby Words

foresaw

foresee

foreseeable

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“Foresee.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foresee. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of foresee

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