going forward

IPA/ɡˌəʊɪŋ fˈɔːwəd/
IPA/ɡˌoʊɪŋ fˈɔːɹwɚd/

going forward — idiom

1. used when talking about what will happen from this moment onward, especially in

1.idiomB2
Definition

used when talking about what will happen from this moment onward, especially in work, business, or long-term arrangements

Example

Going forward, the hospital will require all visitors to wear a mask.

phrase at start of sentence

The shipping company announced that going forward, deliveries would arrive within two days.

embedded in a reported clause

Common collocations
  • announce that going forward
  • decide that going forward
  • agree that going forward
  • going forward + [new rule / policy / plan]
Synonyms
  • from now on

    more neutral and suitable for everyday conversation

  • in the future

    broader in scope; does not always imply an immediate starting point

  • henceforth

    very formal and literary; rarely used in modern speech

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

going forward + [clause about future plans/policies]

[declaration] , going forward

Usage Note

Most common in written announcements, formal speeches, and workplace policy statements. In casual conversation between friends, 'from now on' or 'in the future' sound more natural.

Common Mistakes

Going forward, let us grab coffee this weekend.
From now on, let us grab coffee this weekend.
'going forward' sounds overly formal for casual social plans.
I will exercise more going forward from today.
I will exercise more going forward.
'going forward' already implies 'from today onward'; adding 'from today' is redundant.

Etymology

English

'Going forward' developed from the literal sense of physically moving ahead (e.g., 'The car was going forward'). From the late 20th century, especially in business and management language, the phrase became fixed as a discourse marker meaning 'from now on' — treating time as a path along which one travels. Its rise in corporate speech since the 1990s mirrors similar metaphorical time phrases like 'looking ahead' and 'moving forward.'