far-seeing

A far-seeing leader plans a new park for the growing city.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having foresight: "far-seeing" describes a person who is able to anticipate future events or consequences with clarity and wisdom, often making plans based on this insight.
   • Characterized by long-term vision: Used to describe actions, policies, or decisions that consider long-range outcomes rather than immediate results.

Usage Examples

• (The investor anticipated future growth and acted wisely.)
• (The policies were designed with future needs in mind.)
• (She shows foresight and long-term planning.)

Advanced Usage

• "Far-seeing" vs. "farsighted": While "farsighted" can refer to physical vision (seeing distant objects clearly), "far-seeing" is exclusively metaphorical, meaning mentally perceptive about the future.

  • The CEO’s far-seeing strategy saved the company from bankruptcy. (The strategy was based on anticipating market trends.)

• "Far-seeing" as a compound adjective: It is typically used before a noun (attributive position).

  • A far-seeing decision (a decision made with foresight) vs. The decision was far-seeing (predicative use is less common but acceptable).

Variants and Related Words

• Farsightedness (n): the quality of being far-seeing; also used for physical vision.

  • His farsightedness in business made him a millionaire. (His ability to foresee opportunities.)

• Foresight (n): the ability to predict or plan for the future; a synonym for the quality described by "far-seeing."

  • She had the foresight to save money for emergencies. (She planned ahead wisely.)

• Far-sighted (adj): an alternative spelling of "far-seeing," though more commonly used for vision defects.

  • He is a far-sighted planner. (He plans with long-term goals.)

Synonyms

• Foresighted: having or showing foresight.

  • A foresighted policy prevented the crisis. (A policy made with anticipation.)

• Provident: making careful provision for the future.

  • A provident farmer stores grain for the winter. (He prepares for future needs.)

• Prescient: having knowledge of events before they happen (often implying supernatural insight).

  • Her prescient warnings were ignored. (Her predictions were accurate but unheeded.)

Related Idioms

• Look ahead: to think about and plan for the future.

  • We need to look ahead and invest in renewable energy. (We must be far-seeing.)

• Plan for the long haul: to prepare for a long-term future.

  • The company is planning for the long haul by building sustainable infrastructure. (They are taking a far-seeing approach.)

Antonyms

• Short-sighted (adj): lacking foresight; focusing only on immediate results.

  • A short-sighted decision led to long-term losses. (The opposite of far-seeing.)

• Myopic (adj): having a narrow or limited view of the future.

  • His myopic policies ignored environmental consequences. (He lacked far-seeing wisdom.)