foresee

Foresee is a verb meaning to anticipate or predict something that will happen in the future, usually based on reasoning, evidence, or experience. It is used to describe the act of looking ahead to possible outcomes and preparing for them. Foresee can apply to risks, events, trends, or plans in fields such as business, science, engineering, and daily life. Related forms include foresight (a noun for the ability to anticipate) and the adjectives foreseeable and foreseeability.

Etymology: Foresee comes from the prefix fore- meaning in front and the verb see. In older English, forms such as forsēon existed; the modern spelling emerged in Middle English. The standard past tense is foresaw, and the past participle is foreseen. Adverbs include foreseeably; the noun form foreseeing is also used.

Usage: Foresee is used for events that can be anticipated with some likelihood. It contrasts with forecast, which often implies a formal prediction, and with speculate. Common phrases include "for the foreseeable future" and "foreseeable risks." In legal and risk-management contexts, foreseeability is a key concept in determining responsibility.

Examples: "Experts could not foresee the sudden market shift." "The team foresees several potential delays." "We must prepare for foreseeable risks."

See also: foreseeability, foreseeable, foresight, forecast, prediction.