Definition of outlooknext
1
as in overlook
a high place or structure from which a wide view is possible the cliff-top outlook provides an expansive view of the sleepy village down in the valley

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
3
as in view
all that can be seen from a certain point the outlook from the tower is spectacular in all directions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun outlook differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of outlook are anticipation, foretaste, and prospect. While all these words mean "an advance realization of something to come," outlook suggests a forecasting of the future.

a favorable outlook for the economy

Where would anticipation be a reasonable alternative to outlook?

The synonyms anticipation and outlook are sometimes interchangeable, but anticipation implies a prospect or outlook that involves advance suffering or enjoyment of what is foreseen.

the anticipation of her arrival

When is foretaste a more appropriate choice than outlook?

In some situations, the words foretaste and outlook are roughly equivalent. However, foretaste implies an actual though brief or partial experience of something forthcoming.

the frost was a foretaste of winter

When could prospect be used to replace outlook?

While in some cases nearly identical to outlook, prospect implies expectation of a particular event, condition, or development of definite interest or concern.

the prospect of a quiet weekend

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of outlook Did investors balk at the offering price or the company’s growth outlook? — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026 Powell’s broader outlook is that persistent inflation, fragmentation, and higher capital costs will make investors more selective. — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Last week France’s 10-year bond yield briefly topped 5 percent last week, its highest since 2002, as the protests compounded concerns about the country’s fiscal outlook. — Melissa Bell, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 This graphic shows the tropical outlook in the Gulf over the next seven days. — CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for outlook
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outlook
Noun
  • Some overlook Lake Travis, a manmade lake that's popular with boaters.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Visitors can enjoy features that span all 80 acres, including a nature overlook tower.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Another perspective may make the path feel much less complicated.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • And then, eventually, all resources used to keep humans alive may be better spent, from the AIs' perspective, on its own ends.
    — Geoffrey Irving, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In my view, the government must get ahead of that curve by establishing a full-fledged Department of AI, rather than leaving it to a single individual.
    — Yerbol Orynbayev, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Following the meeting, the president dismissed the idea of new AI rules and reiterated his view that the industry should police itself.
    — Jeff Masonand Michael Shepard Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The atmospheric phenomena potentially detectable by HWO depend on those phases and the angle between the planet, its star, and the observatory, and therefore are best seen at different times in the planet’s orbit.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Jamie Kennea, who led Swift operations until earlier this year, said his team at Penn State University devised a way to reorient the observatory to give it a more streamlined aerodynamic profile, minimizing drag and extending its time in orbit.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Knowledge workers can also use AI’s outputs to examine topics from multiple viewpoints, deepening their knowledge.
    — Monideepa Tarafdar, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026
  • While many jurisdictions around the country have banned the practice in order to prohibit the conduct, the Supreme Court determined that limitations on conversion therapy only limit one viewpoint.
    — Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Sherod acted as a lookout and parked a separate vehicle nearby, according to court documents.
    — CBS Baltimore, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • There, Pike and Shipp violently tortured Slemmer before killing her, while Peterson acted as lookout.
    — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The service is particularly useful for people in remote locations, where cell towers cannot reach.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026
  • What to do nearby The hotel sits in a prime position between the sleek towers of the Porta Nuova neighborhood and the city’s historic center.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Outlook.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outlook. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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