foresight

[ fawr-sahyt, fohr- ]

noun

1. care or provision for the future; provident care; prudence.
2. the act or power of foreseeing; prevision; prescience.
3. an act of looking forward.
4. knowledge or insight gained by or as by looking forward; a view of the future.

   Synonyms: foreknowledge

5. Surveying.
   1. a sight or reading taken on a forward point.
   2. (in leveling) a rod reading on a point the elevation of which is to be determined.

foresight

/ ˈfɔːˌsaɪt /

noun

1. provision for or insight into future problems, needs, etc
2. the act or ability of foreseeing
3. the act of looking forward
4. See backsight
   surveying a reading taken looking forwards to a new station, esp in levelling from a point of known elevation to a point the elevation of which is to be determined Compare backsight
5. the front sight on a firearm

Derived Forms

• ˌforeˈsightedly, adverb
• ˌforeˈsighted, adjective
• ˌforeˈsightedness, noun

Other Words From

• foresighted adjective
• foresighted·ly adverb
• foresighted·ness noun
• foresightful adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of foresight¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, foresight is from the Middle English word forsight. See fore-, sight

Synonym Study

See prudence.

Example Sentences

When districts make decisions and just hand them down to schools with no foresight into what it will look like on the ground, it’s extremely frustrating.

From Voice of San Diego

With a little foresight, managers can calm the waves of conflict before they crest and crash.

From Time

While it sounds simple, rolling out a no-meeting policy takes foresight and planning as well as bearing in mind that how employees communicate is part of your corporate culture too.

From Digiday

When the company was still small, perhaps such a lack of foresight and imagination could be excused.

From MIT Technology Review

Still, it’s a balancing act, Wallace said, pointing to “the need for reflection in conjunction with foresight.”

From Washington Post

What would McCain have done if he were president and had the foresight about the ISIS that he now claims?

From The Daily Beast

Knowing almost nothing of football, he had the random foresight to examine the Steeler legend's brain.

From The Daily Beast

Natural selection is a mechanical process with no foresight, which can only blindly favor short-term gain.

From The Daily Beast

The Panglossian view of natural selection is an appealing idea to us as human beings, you argue, because brains have foresight.

From The Daily Beast

It is a shame that those organizing the march did not show more foresight.

From The Daily Beast

Do not suffer yourselves to be persuaded that measures of foresight are always followed by disasters.

From Project Gutenberg

Such can live many lives; while a Thoreau can live but one, and that only with perpetual foresight.

From Project Gutenberg

But this foresight can scarcely belong to His glory, nor spare Him the reproaches which men could legitimately heap upon Him.

From Project Gutenberg

The faculty of foresight, or the ability to know in advance all which is to happen in the world, is attributed to God.

From Project Gutenberg

A God of foresight would prevent evil, and in this way would be saved the trouble of punishing it.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• insight
• prudence