forecast

UK: /ˈfɔː^rkɑːst/ US: /ˈfɔrˌkæst/ ,(fôr′kast′, -käst′, fōr′-)

Inflections of 'forecast' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

forecasts

v 3rd person singular

forecasting

v pres p

forecast

v past

forecasted

v past (Rare)

forecast

v past p

forecasted

v past p (Rare)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fore•cast /ˈfɔrˌkæst/   v., -cast or -cast•ed, -cast•ing, n. 
v. [~ + object]

1. to predict (a future condition or occurrence):
   The weatherman had forecast a heavy snowfall.
2. to make a prediction about:
   He forecast great problems for the future.
   [~ + (that) clause]
   forecast that we would have great problems.

n. [countable]

3. a prediction of future weather conditions.
4. a guess or prediction as to something in the future:
   economic forecasts.

fore•cast•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fore•cast  (fôr′kast′, -käst′, fōr′-), v., -cast or -cast•ed, -cast•ing, n. 
v.t. 

1. to predict (a future condition or occurrence);
   calculate in advance:
   to forecast a heavy snowfall; to forecast lower interest rates.
2. to serve as a prediction of;
   foreshadow.
3. to contrive or plan beforehand;
   prearrange.

v.i. 

4. to conjecture beforehand;
   make a prediction.
5. to plan or arrange beforehand.

n. 

6. a prediction, esp. as to the weather.
7. a conjecture as to something in the future.
8. the act, practice, or faculty of forecasting.
9. [Archaic.] foresight in planning.

• Middle English (noun, nominal) plan. See fore-, cast¹ 1350–1400

fore′cast′a•ble, adj. 
fore′cast′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. foretell, anticipate. See predict. 
• 3. project.
• 4, 7. guess, estimate.
• 9. forethought, prescience.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

forecast / ˈfɔːˌkɑːst/ verb ( -casts, -casting, -cast, -casted)

1. to predict or calculate (weather, events, etc), in advance
2. (transitive) to serve as an early indication of

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

ˈforeˌcaster noun