crystal ball

NOUN

fortune teller's globe or ability

Synonyms

WEAK

clairvoyance divination envisagement forward look prediction prevenience

VERB

predict

Synonyms

STRONG

augur divine forecast foreknow foresee foretell portend predict prognosticate prophesy vaticinate

WEAK

anticipate conjecture

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But unless you have an unusually good crystal ball about when the next bear market will begin, there’s no reason to change your investment strategy for making money in the stock market.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 26, 2026

“Trying to predict where rates will be in year 11 thru 20 is crystal ball watching,” Peter Boockvar, One Point BFG Wealth Partners tells Barron’s.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

And while we don’t possess a crystal ball, we believe that the tourism decline of 2025 could well continue through 2026.

From Salon • Feb. 8, 2026

Even without a crystal ball, investors may view all those swirling questions as reason enough to take some profits after a year of big gains.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Harry, at least, felt extremely foolish, staring blankly at the crystal ball, trying to keep his mind empty when thoughts such as “this is stupid” kept drifting across it.

From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling