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
-
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
-
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
-
has been forecastingperfect progressive
Past
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forecastsimple
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forecastedsimple
-
had forecastperfect
-
had forecastedperfect
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was forecastingprogressive
-
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:
Distillate inventories were forecast to have fallen by 1.9 million barrels.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
The company is calling for revenue of $34.8 billion at the midpoint of its forecast.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Forecasters warned that the forecast could change significantly if there is even a minor change in Marie’s direction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Spending is 20% below forecast as states police their rolls for abuse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
When the broadcaster came back on, it was with a grim forecast of whatever was left of Wall Street.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
The forecasts came as the company reported higher profit and sales in the second quarter that topped Wall Street’s forecasts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
However, the brokerage cuts its 2026 and 2027 net-profit forecasts for the company by 13.4% and 24.9%, respectively, to mostly reflect higher cost pressures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
“Notably, our revisions come despite lower crypto forecasts, with upside increasingly driven by active trader activity, prediction markets and asset-based revenues,” the analysts wrote.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
The storms are difficult to pinpoint in forecasts and so can strike without warning.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
There is another quite different problem exemplified by these stock-market forecasts and fanciful explanations of success.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
The NPS said on Monday that a second body had been recovered, while warning that "forecasted weather may affect the timing and pace" of further search operations.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
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
Moreover, the world down there was far warmer than anyone had expected, with a temperature at 10,000 meters of 180 degrees centigrade, nearly twice the forecasted level.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
For the October quarter, HPE is forecasting revenue of between $13.9 billion and $14.8 billion, which is above the FactSet consensus for $13 billion at the midpoint.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Today we discuss political forecasting, death and taxes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
As a result, the Met Office has turned to Aberystwyth University researchers to help them improve their space weather forecasting abilities.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
For the October quarter, Marvell is forecasting revenue of $3.15 billion at the midpoint, which is above the FactSet consensus for $3 billion.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
Those forecasting a swift and tidy end to the war had been numerous but wrong.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
