forethought

Thinking ahead carefully

Forethought is thinking ahead—consideration given to future needs or consequences before acting.

Someone who plans carefully shows forethought; someone who acts impulsively lacks it.

With a little forethought, we could have avoided this mess.

The word often appears with modifiers: criminal forethought suggests premeditation, while lack of forethought implies carelessness.

planning

preparation

Arranging things in advance

strategyPlanned approach to goals
blueprintDetailed technical drawing
schedulingAssigning times to events

organization · coordination · logistics · budgeting · outlining · structuring · timelining · workflow · projecting · forecasting

prudence

caution

Careful attention to risk

wisdomGood judgment from experience
discretionCareful judgment in speech
judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity

circumspection · sagacity · discernment · care · tact · diplomacy · consideration · vigilance · acumen · sensitivity

anticipation

foresight

Ability to anticipate futures

expectationBelief about future outcomes
predictionForecast of coming events
forecastPrediction of future conditions

projection · outlook · prospect · speculation · conjecture · visualization · surmise · prescience · prognostication · extrapolation

premeditation

deliberation

Careful weighing of choices

intentionPlanned purpose for acting
calculationMathematical problem-solving process
aforethoughtPrior deliberate intention

scheming · plotting · design · intent · prearrangement · malice · conspiracy · collusion · mens rea · cunning

proactive

prevention

Stopping something before occurring

preparednessState of being equipped
readinessState of being prepared
preemptionActing to prevent another's action

initiative · precaution · vigilance · foresightedness · forward-thinking · contingency · safeguarding · early-warning · mitigation · prophylaxis

Categories

carefulnessattention, attentiveness, care, carefulness, caution
expectationsexpect, expectation, anticipate, expectancy, await
foresightforesight, precognition, futurology, premonition, forecasts
Mind/Thought Idiomsbrainstorm, brain wave, think tank, mental block, blank mind
Planning Skillsforesight, preparation, organization, strategy, anticipation
preparednessreadiness, preparedness, foresight, precaution, anticipation

Opposites

temporal direction of thinking

forethoughtafterthought

Idea added belatedly

hindsight · retrospection · second-guessing · post-mortem · backward-looking

planning and deliberation

forethoughtimpulsiveness

Acting without forethought

rashness · impetuosity · thoughtlessness · recklessness · impulse

prudence and future orientation

forethoughtshortsightedness

Inability to see distance

improvidence · myopia · imprudence · negligence · unpreparedness

Family

before, thought, thoughtful, foresee, thoughtless, fore, afterthought, afterthoughts, forethinking

Familiarity: Top 50,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated G