forecast

American  

[fawr-kast, -kahst, fohr-] / ˈfɔrˌkæst, -ˌkɑst, ˈfoʊr- /

verb (used with object)

forecast, forecasted, forecasting

1. to predict (a future condition or occurrence); calculate in advance.

   to forecast a heavy snowfall; to forecast lower interest rates.

   Synonyms:

   anticipate, foretell

2. to serve as a prediction of; foreshadow.

3. to contrive or plan beforehand; prearrange.

   Synonyms:

   project

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verb (used without object)

forecast, forecasted, forecasting

1. to conjecture beforehand; make a prediction.

   Synonyms:

   estimate, guess

2. to plan or arrange beforehand.

noun

1. a prediction, especially as to the weather.

2. a conjecture as to something in the future.

   Synonyms:

   estimate, guess

3. the act, practice, or faculty of forecasting.

4. Archaic. foresight in planning.

   Synonyms:

   prescience, forethought

forecast British  

/ ˈfɔːˌkɑːst /

verb

1. to predict or calculate (weather, events, etc), in advance

2. (tr) to serve as an early indication of

3. (tr) to plan in advance

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noun

1. a statement of probable future weather conditions calculated from meteorological data

2. a prophecy or prediction

3. the practice or power of forecasting

Related Words

See predict.

Other Word Forms

• forecastable adjective
• forecaster noun
• reforecast verb (used with object)reforecast, reforecasted, reforecasting
• unforecast adjective
• unforecasted adjective

Etymology

Origin of forecast

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English (verb) “to plan ahead of time”; fore-, cast ( def. )

Example Sentences

Refinery runs were forecast to have risen by half a percentage point in the Journal survey.

From The Wall Street Journal

Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal had forecast a gain of 39,000.

From MarketWatch

A total of 5.2 million households now face increases in mortgage costs in two and a half years' time, compared to the 3.9 million expected when forecasts were made before the conflict.

From BBC

"We have also reassessed the structural changes in the German economy and, in particular, revised our forecast for industrial growth downwards," Wollmershaeuser said.

From Barron's

It previously forecast that the inflation rate would ease this year, ending around 3.2%, the federation said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• anticipate
• augur
• calculate
• conclude
• determine
• estimate
• foresee
• foretell
• gauge
• portend