forecast
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to predict (a future condition or occurrence); calculate in advance.
to forecast a heavy snowfall; to forecast lower interest rates.
- Synonyms:
- anticipate, foretell
-
to serve as a prediction of; foreshadow.
-
to contrive or plan beforehand; prearrange.
- Synonyms:
- project
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a prediction, especially as to the weather.
-
a conjecture as to something in the future.
-
the act, practice, or faculty of forecasting.
-
Archaic. foresight in planning.
- Synonyms:
- prescience, forethought
verb
-
to predict or calculate (weather, events, etc), in advance
-
(tr) to serve as an early indication of
-
(tr) to plan in advance
noun
-
a statement of probable future weather conditions calculated from meteorological data
-
a prophecy or prediction
-
the practice or power of forecasting
Synonym Usage
See predict.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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forecasternoun
-
reforecastverb (used with object)
-
forecastableadjective
-
unforecastadjective
-
unforecastedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
forecastsimple
-
forecastssimple
-
have forecastperfect
-
have forecastedperfect
-
has forecastperfect
-
has forecastedperfect
-
am forecastingprogressive
-
are forecastingprogressive
-
is forecastingprogressive
-
have been forecastingperfect progressive
-
has been forecastingperfect progressive
Past
-
forecastsimple
-
forecastedsimple
-
had forecastperfect
-
had forecastedperfect
-
was forecastingprogressive
-
were forecastingprogressive
-
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:
The Dearborn, Mich., company on Tuesday raised its full-year profit forecast and said it is confident Americans would continue to buy pricey, big pickups and sport-utility vehicles that dominate its lineup.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Nonetheless, Kim forecast memory chip prices are likely to rise "at least 30 percent in the third quarter" with supply shortages likely to persist through to 2028.
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
Whilst rain and then showers are forecast across Northern Ireland, Scotland and perhaps the far north of England, barely a millimetre is likely to fall.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
That forecast was a bit more optimistic than a prior forecast for 4% to 5% growth.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
A memory, a present event, and a forecast all equally present.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
ASM International posted second-quarter sales of 1 billion euros, up 24% on year at constant currency and above analysts’ forecasts of 995.7 million euros, according to Visible Alpha.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Investors will also be looking to see how management treats its spending forecasts, Benchmark analyst Yi Fu Lee told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
A De Havilland spokesperson wouldn't be drawn on the exact month of deliveries, saying only that they were "in line with forecasts."
From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026
The economic research body now forecasts that the inflation rate will peak at 3.8% in February next year, and only fall to the Bank of England’s 2% target in 2029.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
Today’s issue contained a statement of the actual output, from which it appeared that the forecasts were in every instance grossly wrong.
From "1984" by George Orwell
That has the ironic consequence of increasing the forecasted return of the stock market relative to the bond market.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
“Gas prices have recovered since the April lows, and we believe Henry Hub has more room to run, especially if the forecasted heat shows up in the coming weeks.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
The designation comes at any event where the temperature is forecasted to exceed 31C at any time the cars are on track.
From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026
Meta has forecasted capital expenditures to reach between $125 billion and $145 billion for the year -- more than double the company's 2025 outlay.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
The weatherman had forecasted a record high for the day of the meet.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Citigroup is forecasting “timid gains” in the eurozone purchasing managers index for July.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Existing forecasting methods generally provide less advance notice because scientists must wait until the Sun reaches solar minimum, the quietest part of its cycle.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026
They will be used to help train AI models capable of swift and reliable forecasting in areas like weather, climate and natural hazards.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
According to algorithmic forecasting, they’re on track to hit the million mark in 2034.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
“I make my living forecasting the future for people,” he said.
From "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
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.
