Words / C2

PRES-ee-uh-nt/ˈpresiənt/

Prescient means showing that you grasped what would happen later: a prescient warning. Far-sighted is close; prophetic is stronger and more mystical. Prescience is the noun, and the adjective is usually praise after the fact. In speech, she saw it coming is the natural line — do not use it for a lucky guess with no reasoning, unless you are being wry.

Meaning

Knowing or showing that you knew what would happen later (formal).

Examples

• “Her warning about the delay proved prescient.”
• “His note on fragile supply lines proved prescient that winter.”
• “The novel’s prescient jokes about surveillance read differently now.”

Good to know

Seeing it coming (often praised later). Noun: prescience. Everyday: far-sighted / saw it coming. Stronger: prophetic.

Near in meaning

far-sighted

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