Definition of 'future'
Word forms: plural futures
1. singular noun
The future is the period of time that will come after the present, or the things that will happen then.
4. countable noun [usually singular]
Someone's future, or the future of something, is what will happen to them or what they will do after the present time.
5. countable noun
If you say that someone or something has a future, you mean that they are likely to be successful or to survive.
6. plural noun
7. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
In grammar, the future tense of a verb is the one used to talk about things that are going to happen. In English, this applies to verb groups consisting of 'will' or ' shall' and the base form of a verb. The future perfect tense of a verb is used to talk about things that will have happened at some time
in the future.
8.
See in (the) future
9.
10.
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
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Word Frequency
future in British English
noun
1.
the time yet to come
2.
undetermined events that will occur in that time
5. grammar
b.
a verb in this tense
6. See in future
adjective
7.
that is yet to come or be
8.
of or expressing time yet to come
10. grammar
in or denoting the future as a tense of verbs
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
futureless (ˈfutureless) adjective
Word origin
C14: from Latin fūtūrus about to be, from esse to be
Word Frequency
future in American English
adjective
2. Grammar
indicating time to come
the future tense of a verb
noun
3.
the time that is to come; days, months, or years ahead
4.
what will happen; what is going to be
to seek to foretell the future
5.
the prospective or potential condition of a person or thing; esp., the chance to achieve, succeed, etc.
to have a great future in politics
7. Grammar
a.
the future tense
b.
a verb form or phrase in this tense
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME futur < OFr < L futurus, about to be, used as fut. part. of esse, to be
Word Frequency
future in American English
(ˈfjuːtʃər)
noun
1.
time that is to be or come hereafter
2.
something that will exist or happen in time to come
The future is rooted in the past
3.
The old woman said that she could tell me my future
4. Grammar
a.
the future tense
b.
another future formation or construction
c.
a form in the future, as He will come
adjective
6.
that is to be or come hereafter
future events
on some future day
8. Grammar
noting or pertaining to a tense or other verb formation or construction that refers to events or states in time to come
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Word origin
[1325–75; ME futur AF, OF ‹ L fūtūrus about to be (fut. participle of esse to be)]Examples of 'future' in a sentence
future
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In other languages
future
British English: future
/ˈfjuːtʃə/ ADJECTIVE
Future things will happen or exist after the present time.
The lives of future generations will be affected by our decisions.
- American English: future /fyˈutʃər/
- Arabic: مُسْتَقْبَل
- Brazilian Portuguese: futuro
- Chinese: 未来的
- Croatian: budući
- Czech: budoucí
- Danish: fremtidig
- Dutch: toekomstig
- European Spanish: futuro
- Finnish: tuleva
- French: futur
- German: zukünftig
- Greek: μελλοντικός
- Italian: futuro
- Japanese: 未来の
- Korean: 미래의
- Norwegian: framtidig
- Polish: przyszły
- European Portuguese: futuro
- Romanian: viitor
- Russian: будущий
- Latin American Spanish: futuro
- Swedish: framtida
- Thai: ต่อไป
- Turkish: gelecek
- Ukrainian: майбутній
- Vietnamese: trong tương lai
British English: future
/ˈfjuːtʃə/ NOUN
The future is the period of time after the present.
A decision is likely in the near future.
- American English: future /fyˈutʃər/
- Arabic: مُسْتَقْبَل
- Brazilian Portuguese: futuro
- Chinese: 未来
- Croatian: budućnost
- Czech: budoucnost
- Danish: fremtid
- Dutch: toekomst
- European Spanish: futuro
- Finnish: tulevaisuus
- French: avenir
- German: Zukunft
- Greek: μέλλον
- Italian: futuro
- Japanese: 未来
- Korean: 미래
- Norwegian: framtid
- Polish: przyszłość
- European Portuguese: futuro
- Romanian: viitor
- Russian: будущее
- Latin American Spanish: futuro
- Swedish: framtid
- Thai: อนาคต อนาคต
- Turkish: gelecek
- Ukrainian: майбутнє
- Vietnamese: tương lai
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Definition of future from the Collins English Dictionary
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