anticipatory

adjective

an·​tic·​i·​pa·​to·​ry an-ˈti-sə-pə-ˌtȯr-ē 

: characterized by anticipation : anticipating

took anticipatory measures to prevent floods

Synonyms of anticipatory

• watchful
• expectant
• enthusiastic
• eager
• anxious
• anticipant

Examples of anticipatory in a Sentence

couldn't control his anticipatory excitement on Christmas morning

Recent Examples on the Web

The younger 10-month-old infants showed no evidence of anticipatory predictions in either condition. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 1 June 2026

Strategic foresight and anticipatory risk were at the top. —Christine Lentz, Fortune, 29 May 2026

Being middle class comes with a fear of losing a specific sense of safety; the existential quest is finding out if there’s more to life than clutching onto your stuff in anticipatory panic. —Francesco Pacifico, The Dial, 12 May 2026

Happiness mingled with a kind of anticipatory grief. —Susan Young, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for anticipatory

• adjudicatory
• articulatory
• classificatory
• conciliatory
• congratulatory
• discriminatory
• ejaculatory
• emancipatory
• hallucinatory
• interlaboratory
• interrogatory
• investigatory

Legal Definition

anticipatory

adjective

an·​tic·​i·​pa·​tory an-ˈti-sə-pə-ˌtōr-ē 

: of or relating to a prior action that takes into account or forestalls a later action

an anticipatory challenge brought for declaratory and injunctive relief

—L. H. Tribe

anticipatorily

-ˌti-sə-pə-ˈtōr-ə-lē

adverb