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 group said the problem was not forecast accuracy, but how it was displayed, with a brief overnight shower sometimes shown as an all-day washout.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
As an example, Nvidia is trading at 15.3 times forecast 2027 earnings, while Micron Technology is trading at just 6.5 times forecast 2027 earnings.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
But here is a look at where we stand now with the forecast:
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Economists project the price index of personal-consumption expenditures excluding food and energy, which Fed officials track closely, to rise 3.2% in 2026, up from a forecast of 2.9% in April.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
It’s open to a weather app with the forecast for the week—bright and sunny, every day.
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
Even S&P’s consensus earnings forecasts have this problem.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Predicting the weather is always tricky, with even the most solid forecasts sometimes not living up to the hype.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Analysts generally lower their earnings forecasts for companies as they get closer to reporting quarterly results.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026
AI spending and profit forecasts have driven the stock market higher this year, led by semiconductor stocks.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026
I switch on my reading lamp and listen to the shipping forecasts on the radio on low volume.
From "The London Eye Mystery" by Siobhan Dowd
“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 said when reporting first-quarter earnings on April 29 that its forecasted range for capex is $135 billion at the midpoint.
From Barron's ● May 27, 2026
The artificial-intelligence boom’s forecasted energy needs exceed supply, according to most estimates, unless there is a simultaneous investment boom in power generation.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 27, 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
The results could have important implications for climate forecasting.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026
The IMF is forecasting U.S. growth of 2.3% this year, unchanged from April’s projection, and 2.2% next year, up from 2.1% in the previous forecast.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
However, some weather forecasting models are suggesting there is a chance that parts of the UK could see temperatures in the mid- to high 30s later in the week.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Americans don’t typically change their car-buying habits based on gas prices, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 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.
