hindsight is 20/20 en · X
Etymology
From the term 20/20 referring to normal visual acuity.
Meanings
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(idiomatic) In hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset; one is able to evaluate past choices more clearly than at the time of the choice.
Another common error dealing with memory is that of "hindsight bias." This is the tendency to exaggerate what could have been anticipated in the past. This is also known as "Monday morning quarter backing" or "hindsight is 20/20" where the "right" decision as to what should have been done appears to be more obvious now than it was in the past.
2009, Joseph Grcic, Facing Reality: An Introduction to Philosophy, Revised edition, Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, page 57:Honestly? If you would have told me that becoming a professional tennis player might net me a decent supply of free pasta, I would have never begged my mom to quit my lessons. 😭 Hindsight = 20/20.
2023 July 30, Gretty Garcia, “Coco Gauff Is Still a Teenager, but Her Net Worth Reveals That She’s Already a Millionaire”, in Cosmopolitan:
Relateds
it is easy to be wise after the event · twenty-twenty hindsight · Monday-morning quarterback
Translations (25)
sv det är lätt att vara efterklok (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · he במבט לאחור כולנו חכמים (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · pt depois que a onça já está morta, todo caçador é valente (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · es después de la batalla somos todos generales (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · no det er lett å være etterpåklok (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · it del senno di poi son piene le fosse (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · hu utólag könnyű okosnak lenni (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · sv efterklokhet (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · ru гром не гря́нет (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · lv pēc kaujas visi gudri (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · he כולם חכמים בדיעבד (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · da i bagklogskabens klare lys (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · lv pēc kara visi gudri (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · yue 有早知，冇乞兒 /有早知 (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · cmn 事後諸葛亮 /事后诸葛亮 (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · he חוכמה לאחר מעשה (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · uk по шко́ді всі му́дрі (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · he במבט לאחור רואים הכול שש־שש (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · yi אחר־המעשׂה איז יעדערער אַ חכם (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · fi jälkiviisaus on helppoa (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · pl mądry Polak po szkodzie (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · cs po bitvě je každý generál (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · cmn 馬後炮 /马后炮 (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · de hinterher ist man immer klüger (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset) · yue 馬後炮 /马后炮 (in hindsight things are obvious that were not obvious from the outset)