Learn English – the best word to describe someone who always anticipates things

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What is the best word to describe a person who always anticipates or thinks of future or possible things (occurrences) according to previous events;
i.e., who extrapolates to the consequences of current information,
when those consequences are not obvious to others.

Examples in home and work contexts:

  • When he saw an excavation happening near his home,
    he anticipated that maybe the water line would be out and prepared for it.

  • When he saw a news item about an event that happened,
    he realized his boss is in tune with these events
    and he anticipated how this would affect his boss's decisions and planning.

Best Answer

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines far-sighted as

having good judgment about what will be needed in the future and making wise decisions based on this:
Buying those shares was a very far-sighted move – they must be worth ten times their original value now.

They label this a “UK” definition, but I disagree.  I’m a US person, and I believe that this meaning would be well understood here.  Note that these definitions of  farsighted  (incidentally, not hyphenated):

Merriam-Webster:

    able to predict what will or might happen in the future

Dictionary.com:

    wise, as in foreseeing future developments:  a farsighted statesman.

carry no geographic restriction.

Forward-looking has a similar meaning:

Merriam-Webster:

    concerned with the future or planning for the future

Dictionary.com:

    planning for or anticipating possible future events, conditions, etc.;  progressive.

Words such as wise, sensible, sage, sagacious, and perspicacious are listed as synonyms for the above:

perspicacious:

  Cambridge English Dictionary:

      quick in noticing, understanding, or judging things accurately:
      His perspicacious grandfather had bought the land as an investment, guessing that there might be gold underground.

  Merriam-Webster:

      having or showing an ability to notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious

Other suggested synonyms include intuitive, prophetic, and psychic, but I guess these are not what you want (with the possible exception of intuitive).

Footnote:
A more literal definition of farsighted, which is frequently listed as the primary definition (especially when it is not hyphenated), is:

Cambridge English Dictionary:

  • long-sighted
  • able to see things clearly that are far away but not things that are near you:
    I’m so far-sighted, I can’t read the newspaper without my glasses.

Dictionary.com:

  • seeing objects at a distance more clearly than those near at hand; hyperopic.
  • seeing to a great distance.

The antonym of this sense of farsighted is nearsighted:

Merriam-Webster:

    unable to see things that are far away : able to see things that are close more clearly than things that are far away

while the antonym of the first sense is shortsighted:

Merriam-Webster:

    not considering what will or might happen in the future; lacking foresight

although some people use these terms interchangeably.   (Both of these words (especially shortsighted) can be hyphenated.)

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