foresight

American  

[fawr-sahyt, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌsaɪt, ˈfoʊr- /

noun

1. care or provision for the future; provident care; prudence.

2. the act or power of foreseeing; prevision; prescience.

3. an act of looking forward.

4. knowledge or insight gained by or as by looking forward; a view of the future.

   Synonyms:

   foreknowledge

5. Surveying.

   1. a sight or reading taken on a forward point.

   2. (in leveling) a rod reading on a point the elevation of which is to be determined.

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foresight British  

/ ˈfɔːˌsaɪt /

noun

1. provision for or insight into future problems, needs, etc

2. the act or ability of foreseeing

3. the act of looking forward

4. surveying a reading taken looking forwards to a new station, esp in levelling from a point of known elevation to a point the elevation of which is to be determined Compare backsight

5. the front sight on a firearm

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Related Words

See prudence.

Other Word Forms

• foresighted adjective
• foresightedly adverb
• foresightedness noun
• foresightful adjective

Etymology

Origin of foresight

First recorded in 1250–1300, foresight is from the Middle English word forsight. See fore-, sight

Explanation

Use the noun foresight to describe successful planning for the future. When it starts raining hard during your long walk to school, you'll wish you had the foresight to bring an umbrella. The word foresight is made of two parts: fore, which means "before," and sight, which means "to perceive." People often perceive things with their eyes: this is vision, or sight. But vision can also describe what someone thinks will happen in the future — and foresight is planning for things before they happen.

Example Sentences

In an unusual bit of foresight, Congress understood as far back as 1999 that banking organizations needed expanded powers and, most importantly, expanded technology powers if they were to compete with nonbanks.

From Barron's • Dec. 19, 2025

“Milan Nedeljkovic convinces with his strategic foresight, strong implementation skills, and entrepreneurial thinking,” said Nicolas Peter, chairman of the supervisory board.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025

Sometimes she’s wrong, sometimes she fights fate with everything she’s got, yet her faith in her foresight is rarely shaken.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2025

He has propelled the BBC forward with determination, single-mindedness and foresight.

From BBC • Nov. 9, 2025

Harvey Cushing was one medical expert who understood the value for physicians of the discoveries of radiation physicists, but in this, as in so many other ways, his foresight was uncommon.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• insight
• prudence