expectation
noun
ex·pec·ta·tion
ˌek-ˌspek-ˈtā-shən 
ik-
1
: the act or state of expecting : anticipation
in expectation of what would happen
2
3
: the state of being expected
4
b
Synonyms
Examples of expectation in a Sentence
The company has expectations of making a profit next year.
I saved the files in the expectation that they would be useful in the future.
There is widespread expectation that the strike will be settled soon.
The crowd waited in expectation of her arrival.
Recent Examples on the Web
The layoffs came after an abysmal first fiscal quarter that saw the electric vehicle maker fall far short of Wall Street’s sales expectations.
—
William Gavin, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2024
Constance Debré’s novels, whose sensibility is minimalist and at times even desolate, reject the expectations of personal growth that animate much feminist literature.
—Anahid Nersessian, The New York Review of Books, 18 Apr. 2024
The expectations for the Bengals in this draft are high for a few reasons.
—Kelsey Conway, The Enquirer, 18 Apr. 2024
There the new artist sits, poised between our expectations and their unwritten reality.
—Hanya Yanagihara, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Morningstar analyst Julie Utterback said demand for medical care trends were in line with management’s expectations, which should be a relief to industry investors who have been concerned about those elevated costs.
—Reuters, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
In-season orders from wholesale customers could help ease U.S. revenue expectations, the company noted, but those are difficult to predict.
—Anne D'innocenzio, Fortune Europe, 17 Apr. 2024
Some advise tempering expectations of the RNC's impact In Cleveland, the convention was sold as a major economic driver that would bring around $200 million into the regional economy.
—Sarah Volpenhein, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2024
But even Diller, an avowedly pro-office boss, can admit that five days a week in-person is simply beyond the scope of expectation for most workers.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
William Gavin, Quartz, 18 Apr. 2024
Constance Debré’s novels, whose sensibility is minimalist and at times even desolate, reject the expectations of personal growth that animate much feminist literature.
—Anahid Nersessian, The New York Review of Books, 18 Apr. 2024
The expectations for the Bengals in this draft are high for a few reasons.
—Kelsey Conway, The Enquirer, 18 Apr. 2024
There the new artist sits, poised between our expectations and their unwritten reality.
—Hanya Yanagihara, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
Morningstar analyst Julie Utterback said demand for medical care trends were in line with management’s expectations, which should be a relief to industry investors who have been concerned about those elevated costs.
—Reuters, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
In-season orders from wholesale customers could help ease U.S. revenue expectations, the company noted, but those are difficult to predict.
—Anne D'innocenzio, Fortune Europe, 17 Apr. 2024
Some advise tempering expectations of the RNC's impact In Cleveland, the convention was sold as a major economic driver that would bring around $200 million into the regional economy.
—Sarah Volpenhein, Journal Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2024
But even Diller, an avowedly pro-office boss, can admit that five days a week in-person is simply beyond the scope of expectation for most workers.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'expectation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near expectation
Cite this Entry
“Expectation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expectation. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expectation
noun
ex·pec·ta·tion
ˌek-ˌspek-ˈtā-shən
ik-
1
: the act or state of expecting : a looking forward to or waiting for something
2
: chances of good or bad fortune
—usually used in plural
3
: something expected
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