foreseeable
Americanadjective
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as far as can be seen.
Our objective is to make travel around the city quick, easy, and trouble-free for the foreseeable future.
-
able to be known or seen in advance.
A key finding was that the fire was foreseeable, and both the mine owner and the regulatory agencies could have prevented it from occurring.
Usage
What does foreseeable mean? If something is foreseeable, it means it can be predicted or identified in advance. Foreseeable is the adjective form of the verb foresee, which means to see or know beforehand. Foreseeable is often used in the phrase the foreseeable future, referring to the span of time in the near future about which reasonable assumptions can be made. Example: Unfortunately, due to the road closure we’ll be taking the detour for the foreseeable future.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of foreseeable
Explanation
If you know something’s coming, it’s foreseeable. Foreseeable things can be predicted or guessed ahead of time. If there’s no money for you in the foreseeable future, you better get a job. The adjective foreseeable most often turns up in the phrase "the foreseeable future," which basically means "as far in the future as I can predict." The meaning is in the word – it’s the “before” you’re “able” to “see.” You might be so mad at your sister that you tell her you won't drive her to school for the foreseeable future — in other words, you can't, at this point, imagine a time when you'll be willing to give her a ride.
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.
Make sure the stairs are “future-proofed” for your 73- and 83-year-old selves in terms of safety, materials, guardrails and gradient, especially considering that you are planning to stay in this house for the foreseeable future.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 11, 2026
The Class A common shares, which are what will trade on Nasdaq upon the IPO, have one vote per share, but won’t be receiving dividends “in the foreseeable future,” according to the prospectus.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
“You had an incredible market to refinance in, but we don’t anymore and there’s nothing in my mind that says rates are going down for the foreseeable future.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Zuckerberg - who has a $226bn fortune according to Forbes' billionaires tracker - had told Meta's board that it was his intention to remain with the firm for "the foreseeable future".
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
Dr. W. C. Hueper of the National Cancer Institute has warned that “the danger of cancer hazards from the consumption of contaminated drinking water will grow considerably within the foreseeable future.”
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
