hindsight

Related to hindsight: hindsight is 20/20

20/20 hindsight

Knowledge of what one should have done, because it is easier to clearly reevaluate past actions or decisions than when they are being made or done. A reference to the visual acuity of normal eyesight (20/20 vision). With 20/20 hindsight, I can see now that having my brother as my legal counsel was unwise. A: "I can't believe I was ever interested in such a self-absorbed jerk." B: "Don't blame yourself. We all have 20/20 hindsight."
See also: 20, hindsight

foresight is better than hindsight

proverb It is better to anticipate and prevent future problems than to realize how they could have been avoided after the fact. If I were you, I would pay the extra $50 for full insurance coverage while you're traveling. You never know what might happen, and foresight is better than hindsight.
See also: better, hindsight

hindsight is (always) 20/20

It is easier to clearly reevaluate past actions or decisions than when they are being made or done; things are clearer or more obvious when they are reflected upon. A reference to the visual acuity of normal eyesight (20/20 vision). I can see now that having my brother as my legal counsel was unwise, but I guess hindsight is always 20/20. A: "I can't believe I was ever interested in such a self-absorbed jerk." B: "Don't blame yourself. Hindsight is 20/20, after all."
See also: 20, hindsight

in hindsight

Considering or analyzing the past with consideration of the knowledge that one has now. In hindsight, I can see now that having my brother as my legal counsel was unwise. A: "I can't believe I was ever interested in such a self-absorbed jerk." B: "Don't blame yourself. Everything is easier to see in hindsight."
See also: hindsight

in retrospect

Considering or analyzing the past, with the knowledge that one has now. In retrospect, we shouldn't have invested so heavily in one sector, but there's no way we could have known about some of the risks. It's one of those lessons that you can really only learn in retrospect.

twenty-twenty hindsight

The ability to determine how some mistake or failure in the past could have been avoided. Often used ironically or sarcastically; sometimes stylized as "20/20 hindsight." I can see now that having my brother as my legal counsel was unwise, but I guess twenty-twenty hindsight isn't much use right now. A: "I can't believe I was ever interested in such a self-absorbed jerk." B: "Don't beat yourself about it. We all have 20/20 hindsight."
See also: hindsight
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

in retrospect

 and in hindsight
reconsidering the past with the knowledge one now has. In retrospect, I would have gone to a better college. David realized, in hindsight, that he should have finished school.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

in retrospect

Looking backward, reflecting on the past. For example, In retrospect, he regarded his move as the best thing he'd ever done. This idiom employs retrospect in the sense of "a view of the past." [Second half of 1600s]

twenty-twenty hindsight

Knowledge after the fact, as in With twenty-twenty hindsight, I wouldn't have bought these tickets. This idiom uses twenty-twenty in the optometrist's sense, that is, "indicating normal vision," and hindsight in the sense of "looking back" or "reconsidering." [First half of 1900s]
See also: hindsight
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

in ˈretrospect

thinking about a past event or situation, often with a different opinion of it from the one you had at the time: In retrospect, I think that I was wrong. The decision seems extremely odd, in retrospect.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

twenty-twenty hindsight

and 20/20 hindsight
n. an ability to figure out what one should have done after it is too late to do it. Everybody has twenty-twenty hindsight!
See also: hindsight

20/20 hindsight

verb
See twenty-twenty hindsight
See also: 20, hindsight
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

in retrospect

In looking back on or reviewing the past.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

twenty-twenty hindsight, with

With complete after-the-fact knowledge. This expression, usually preceding a statement like “I would have done or said such-and-such,” uses the optometrist’s term for perfectly normal vision. The idea that hindsight, with its superior knowledge, is better than foresight has been stated since at least the nineteenth century. “If a man had half as much foresight as he had hindsight, he’d be a lot better off,” wrote Robert J. Burdette (Hawk-eyes, 1879). The Hollywood screenwriter Billy Wilder is quoted as having said, “Hindsight is always twenty-twenty.”
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • 20/20 hindsight
  • twenty-twenty hindsight
  • there's no time like the present
  • no time like the present
  • no time like the present, there's
  • done and done
  • that's better
  • good as done
  • good as done, as
  • as good as done
References in periodicals archive
When you next found yourself regretting the mess you've just made, use your hindsight as the first step toward change.
How hindsight can sometimes provide us with foresight
Consequently, Hindsight is a sustaining and deeply personal reading experience.
Hindsight
Readers of all stages in life, and career fields, or those experiencing unique difficulties and circumnutates will be challenged, inspired, and motivated to learn from the "Ultimate Hindsight" and wisdom from Jim Stovall's "100 super achievers."
Ultimate Hindsight: Wisdom from 100 Super Achievers
Examination of Hayley's Methodology to Find Aggregate Timing and Hindsight Effects
Aggregation and dollar-weighted returns issues
With the takeover of Hindsight, AFH adds GBP15m of funds under its management and now operates funds valued at a total of GBP840m, employing a team of 136 professional advisers.
AFH Financial Group closes acquisition of Hindsight Financial Services
"Hindsight is 20/20." In other words, we had to invade the country to find out if the ostensible cause for the invasion was really there.
Hindsight and other cop-outs are rarely 20/20
In Hindsight, who are tipped to follow the success of bands such as McFly and The Saturdays, performed at Unity City Academy (UCA).
New boy band stops off with a message
The Baggy Greens boss conceded that in hindsight they may have made a mistake by not picking two spinners for the first Test against India, which the hosts comfortably won by eight wickets.
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Geared toward high net-worth households and businesses, the product's multi-index accounts offer a broad range of indexes and a hindsight and overweighting approach to calculate annual returns.
Zurich, survivorship life
Mr Cameron said that "with hindsight" he would never have recruited the former News of the World editor and said Coulson should face "severe" criminal charges if it turned out that assurances he gave that he knew nothing about phone hacking were lies.
Sorry PM: I should never have given him the job
Melbourne, Australia, June 27, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Creative design group Hindsight is now a proud sponsor of Family Business Australia, the peak national body for family and private businesses.
Hindsight Forge Productive and Long-Lasting Oath with FBA
It's easy in hindsight Re: comments in Monday's Post on indecision at Newbury, I also attended and thought that the executive did a good job with the limited amount of information available at the time.
CHATROOM; The best of your emails
Cowen said, 'I fully accept that, in hindsight, it was not sufficient.
Central bank report says crisis in Ireland due to policy deficiencies
WITH HINDSIGHT shaped with abundant promise on her racecourse debut and can open her account in the "Come Shopping At Castlepoint" Bournemouth Maiden Auction Stakes tomorrow at Salisbury.
Ready to get off the mark