foreseeable
Americanadjective
-
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
- foreseeability noun
- unforeseeable adjective
- unforeseeableness noun
- unforeseeably adverb
Etymology
Origin of foreseeable
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.
Features like recommendation algorithms, autoplay, beauty filters and notification systems were built with foreseeable risks of harm.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
But many expect markets to remain volatile for the foreseeable future.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026
India and Pakistan have already begun to limit how much liquified petroleum gas businesses can use, while Sri Lanka declared Wednesdays a public holiday for the foreseeable future to cut down on fuel use.
From Barron's • Mar. 22, 2026
Last month, Ferguson's charity, Sarah's Trust, announced it would close "for the foreseeable future".
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
In most European states, he went on to argue, it was probably necessary for the monarchy to remain hereditary for the foreseeable future, in order to permit a more gradual transition to full-blown republican principles.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
