# future

/ˈfjutʃɝ/ (US) · /fjˈuːtʃɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/future
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. time ahead

noun · CEFR A2

the time that will come after the present.

For teachers: the period of time following the present moment. Uncountable in this general sense.

- No one can predict exactly what will happen in the future.
- Philosophers have long debated whether the future is a fixed path or a series of branching possibilities determined by current actions.

### 2. prospects or fate

noun · CEFR B1

the chance of being successful or what will happen to someone later.

For teachers: the likelihood of success or the specific destiny of a person or entity.

- The young athlete has a bright future in professional tennis.
- The merger left many employees uncertain about their future within the newly restructured corporation.

### 3. grammar

noun · CEFR B1

the form of a verb used to talk about things that will happen.

For teachers: a verb tense or aspect used to express action or state in time yet to come.

- In English, we often use 'will' to form the future.
- The teacher explained that while English lacks a morphological future, it employs various auxiliary constructions to indicate subsequent events.

### 4. finance

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

an agreement to buy something at a fixed price now but deliver it later.

For teachers: a financial contract obligating the buyer to purchase an asset at a predetermined future date and price.

- He made a lot of money trading oil futures on the stock market.
- Investors often use futures to hedge against price volatility in the commodities market, ensuring a stable cost for raw materials.

Usage: Usually used in the plural form 'futures'.

### 5. computing

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a placeholder for a result that is being calculated and will be ready later.

For teachers: an object that acts as a proxy for a result that is initially unknown because its computation is yet incomplete.

- The program uses a future to handle the data while it downloads in the background.
- By utilizing futures and promises, the developer managed to implement asynchronous calls without blocking the main execution thread.

### 6. happening later

adjective · CEFR A2

describing something that will exist or happen at a later time.

For teachers: relating to or happening in the time to come. Attributive use only; it typically precedes the noun.

- We need to protect the environment for future generations.
- The city council is reviewing future development plans to ensure the infrastructure can support a growing population.

## Examples

- I hope to travel more in the future.
- The company is investing in new technology to ensure a successful future for its employees.
- While historians focus on the lessons of the past, scientists often look toward the future to predict how climate change will reshape our coastal cities.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.