forecast
Americanverb (used with object)
-
forecasts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
forecasted,
past participle, past
-
forecast,
past participle, past
-
forecasting
present participle
-
to predict (a future condition or occurrence); calculate in advance.
to forecast a heavy snowfall; to forecast lower interest rates.
- Synonyms:
- anticipate, foretell
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to serve as a prediction of; foreshadow.
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to contrive or plan beforehand; prearrange.
- Synonyms:
- project
verb (used without object)
-
forecasts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
forecasted,
past participle, past
-
forecast,
past participle, past
-
forecasting
present participle
noun
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forecasts
plural
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a prediction, especially as to the weather.
-
a conjecture as to something in the future.
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the act, practice, or faculty of forecasting.
-
Archaic. foresight in planning.
- Synonyms:
- prescience, forethought
verb
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to predict or calculate (weather, events, etc), in advance
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(tr) to serve as an early indication of
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(tr) to plan in advance
noun
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a statement of probable future weather conditions calculated from meteorological data
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a prophecy or prediction
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the practice or power of forecasting
Synonym Usage
See predict.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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forecasternoun
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reforecastverb (used with object)
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forecastableadjective
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unforecastadjective
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unforecastedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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forecastsimple
-
forecastssimple
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have forecastperfect
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have forecastedperfect
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has forecastperfect
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has forecastedperfect
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am forecastingprogressive
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are forecastingprogressive
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is forecastingprogressive
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have been forecastingperfect progressive
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has been forecastingperfect progressive
Past
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forecastsimple
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forecastedsimple
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had forecastperfect
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had forecastedperfect
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was forecastingprogressive
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were forecastingprogressive
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had been forecastingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of forecast
First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English (verb) “to plan ahead of time”; see origin at fore-, cast ( def. )
Explanation
A forecast is a prediction of what will happen. If the weather forecast calls for sunny skies, consider leaving your umbrella at home. (But, since forecasts aren’t guaranteed to be right, don’t blame us if you get rained on.) While often used in the context of weather, forecast can also be used for other types of predictions such as those related to financial or political outcomes. Note that a forecast is typically a prediction made by experts. So, while a financial analyst might forecast fourth-quarter profits, your prediction about whether your friend will pay back the five dollars he owes you is more of a hunch than a forecast.
Vocabulary lists containing forecast
Power Prefix: fore-
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Vocabulary from the Introduction to "Reality is Broken" by Jane McGonigal
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Physical Geography - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Revenues were $187.9 billion, up 5.9 percent from the year-ago period as Walmart raised its full-year profit and sales forecast.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
College enrollments are forecast to drop 13% by 2041, according to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
Weekly jobless claims totaled 206,000, down from the previous week’s downwardly revised 212,000 and slightly lower than forecast.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Santa Ana wind gusts were forecast to reach speeds of 60 to 80 miles per hour, with peak gusts of 90 miles per hour in the mountains.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
We can’t forecast rock disturbances on our own surface.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
While wet weather is forecast for many this week, some long-range forecasts are suggesting further dry and sunny spells in September.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Long range forecasts are now looking ahead to meteorological autumn - the months of September, October and November.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Since that meeting, expectations of a U.S. interest-rate hike have eased following weak jobs data and inflation figures that were in line with forecasts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
A mere 0.1 percentage-point rate move above forecasts in all rates would add $379 billion in net interest expenses, according to the CBO.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
The weather forecasts warned of possible tornadoes that day.
From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown
That has the ironic consequence of increasing the forecasted return of the stock market relative to the bond market.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Analysts forecasted revenue of $1.18 billion, according to FactSet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
The report also highlights the steep increase in the number of Pip recipients in recent years and the forecasted rise in spending on the benefit.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
"The hype is definitely here for the World Cup, it'll be here until the World Cup ends," he forecasted.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
In the decade following the catastrophic eruption of Mount St. Helens, scientists accurately forecasted fourteen subsequent eruptions to within days or weeks.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
The Conference Board is still forecasting real GDP growth of 1.9%, both this year and in 2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
Accurately measuring atmospheric density at these heights is therefore important for forecasting satellite motion and reducing the risk of collisions.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 12, 2026
China's NMC issued a red typhoon alert -- its most severe warning -- on Sunday morning, forecasting "extraordinary torrential rain" in some areas of central and eastern Zhejiang.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
Adjusted earnings per share came in at $1.02, ahead of the 87 cents that analysts were forecasting.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
It never would have occurred to me those words were forecasting my imminent and terrifying future.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
