future

[fyoo-cher]

noun

1. time that will be or come after the present.

   In the future, the fines for these infractions may be much greater.

2. something that will exist or happen in time to come.

   The future is rooted in the past.

3. a condition, especially of success or failure, to come.

   An oracle had predicted the mighty hero's tragic future.

4. Grammar.,  future tense.

5. Stock Exchange.,  Usually futures. speculative purchases or sales of commodities to be received or delivered later on.

adjective

1. coming or happening after the present time.

   All these decisions are uncertain, as they depend on future events.

   On some future day when you are least expecting it, I will return.

2. relating to or connected with time to come.

   I’m afraid my future plans are already made, and they don’t include farming.

3. Grammar.,  designating a tense or other verb construction that refers to events or states happening after the present time.

future

/ ˈfjuːtʃə /

noun

1. the time yet to come

2. undetermined events that will occur in that time

3. the condition of a person or thing at a later date

   the future of the school is undecided

4. likelihood of later improvement or advancement

   he has a future as a singer

5. grammar

   1. a tense of verbs used when the action or event described is to occur after the time of utterance

   2. a verb in this tense

6. from now on; henceforth

adjective

1. that is yet to come or be

2. of or expressing time yet to come

3. (prenominal) destined to become

   a future president

4. grammar in or denoting the future as a tense of verbs

Other Word Forms

• futureless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of future¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English futur, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin fūtūrus “about to be, going to be,” future participle of esse “to be” ( essence ( def. ) ); akin to Welsh bod “to be” ( eisteddfod ( def. ) )

Word History and Origins

Origin of future¹

C14: from Latin fūtūrus about to be, from esse to be

Idioms and Phrases

see in the near future.

Example Sentences

“For the future it will always be like this. Our neighbors don’t want to live with us in a friendly way,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

While the focus is on Northern Ireland's future, the divides of the past hang over many of the discussions.

From BBC

But many Jews have been asking what future they have in the UK when the solutions they say they are offered do not address what they see as the root cause of antisemitism.

From BBC

The uncertainty has left JPL’s future in limbo while it awaits an answer, top officials said.

From Los Angeles Times

Reimagining older material this way has also made McMahon start to think about what future performances could look and sound like.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• eventual 
• forthcoming 
• imminent 
• impending 
• planned 
• prospective 
• subsequent 
• ultimate