noun

forecast

/ˈfɔːrkæst/ · say it: FOR·kast

a prediction of future sales or performance

In Business & Marketing

In more detail

1. (noun) a statement about what is expected to happen in the future, especially about weather or business conditions

2. (verb) to say what you think will happen in the future

Examples

1. The weather forecast predicts rain tomorrow.
2. Economists forecast that the economy will grow next year.

How to use forecast

Forecast is commonly used in business, weather, and economics to describe predictions based on analysis or modeling rather than mere guessing. It suggests a more informed or systematic prediction than simple 'guess' or 'prediction', though it carries no guarantee of accuracy. The noun is more frequent than the verb in contemporary English.

Common phrases

weather forecast
sales forecast
forecast accuracy
long-range forecast
forecast the future

Synonyms

prediction · projection · outlook · estimate · prognosis

Word family

forecaster (noun) · forecasting (noun) · forecasted/forecast (past tense)

A common mistake

Learners often confuse the past tense forms: both 'forecast' and 'forecasted' are correct, but 'forecast' (unchanged) is more common in British English and in business contexts, while 'forecasted' is more frequent in American English.

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