anticipation

noun

an·tic·i·pa·tion | \ (ˌ)an-ˌti-sə-ˈpā-shən

Definition of anticipation

1a : a prior action that takes into account or forestalls a later action hired more security guards in anticipation of a large crowd

b : the act of looking forward especially : pleasurable expectation looked forward with anticipation to their arrival

2 : the use of money before it is available

3a : visualization of a future event or state

b : an object or form that anticipates a later type

4 : the early sounding of one or more tones of a succeeding chord to form a temporary dissonance — compare suspension

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about anticipation

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Choose the Right Synonym for anticipation

prospect, outlook, anticipation, foretaste mean an advance realization of something to come. prospect implies expectation of a particular event, condition, or development of definite interest or concern. the prospect of a quiet weekend outlook suggests a forecasting of the future. a favorable outlook for the economy anticipation implies a prospect or outlook that involves advance suffering or enjoyment of what is foreseen. the anticipation of her arrival foretaste implies an actual though brief or partial experience of something forthcoming. the frost was a foretaste of winter

Examples of anticipation in a Sentence

She had a feeling of great anticipation before her graduation ceremony. He looked forward to the party with anticipation.

Recent Examples on the Web

On Grammy’s weekend in Los Angeles, the city teems with the music industry’s elite and many are in high anticipation of who will go down in history as music’s best of 2018. — Leigh Penney, Vogue, "Dior Celebrates Pusha T in Anticipation of His Potential Grammy Win Tonight," 10 Feb. 2019 That manufactured sensation triggered, as always, an echoing fizz in her gut, the combination of nerves and anticipation that came with every new case. — Andrew Liptak, The Verge, "Two unlikely cops are paired up to solve murders in a war-torn Tokyo in Ninth Step Station," 8 Dec. 2018 As their beige surfaces, pastel-colored buttons, rounded displays, and rotary dials gleamed, more than a dozen Apollo alumni—the men who guided humanity to the moon and back—stood on the tarmac in eager anticipation. — Matt Blitz, Popular Mechanics, "Houston, We Have a Resurrection: How Mission Control Came Back from the Brink," 27 Nov. 2018 With anticipation building up, TV lovers everywhere are buzzing about who's going to take home the coveted gold trophies. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "See If Your 2018 Emmy Predictions Match Up With the Projected Winners," 17 Sep. 2018 Shooting a moving target, my father taught me, required anticipation, and his muscular pursuit of the clay birds soaring toward the creek possessed a precision and grace that awed me. — Liz Arnold, Longreads, "Making Peace with the Site of a Suicide," 11 July 2018 After much fanfare and mounting anticipation, Travis Pastrana successfully honored iconic stuntman Evel Knievel on Sunday, completing three of the late daredevils most famous stunts. — Lindsay Kimble, PEOPLE.com, "Evel Knievel Rides Again! Travis Pastrana Completes 3 of Daredevil's Most Famous Jumps," 9 July 2018 Sure, teams can't reach agreements with players until the calendar flips to July 1, but the build-up and anticipation to all the madness is just as fun. — Sam Amick, USA TODAY, "LeBron James, Paul George and the top 40 NBA free agents of 2018," 28 June 2018 Despite a strong sense of anticipation with regard to a flurry of pending trades, the draft was a lot less nutty after the big deal at the top. — Jeremy Woo, SI.com, "Explaining the Biggest Surprises of the 2018 NBA Draft," 22 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anticipation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near anticipation

Statistics for anticipation

Last Updated

29 Mar 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for anticipation

The first known use of anticipation was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for anticipation

anticipation

noun

English Language Learners Definition of anticipation

: a feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen

: the act of preparing for something

See the full definition for anticipation in the English Language Learners Dictionary

anticipation

noun

an·tic·i·pa·tion | \ an-ˌti-sə-ˈpā-shən

Kids Definition of anticipation

1 : excitement about something that's going to happen She looked forward to the trip with anticipation.

2 : the act of preparing for something

anticipation

noun

an·tic·i·pa·tion | \ (ˌ)an-ˌtis-ə-ˈpā-shən

Medical Definition of anticipation

1 : occurrence (as of a disease or symptom) before the normal or expected time

2 : mental attitude that influences a later response

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anticipation

noun

an·ti·ci·pa·tion | \ an-ˌti-sə-ˈpā-shən

Legal Definition of anticipation

: the knowledge or use of an invention in the U.S. or the patenting or describing of the invention in a publication in the U.S. or a foreign country before the discovery by a patent applicant

Note: Case law has established that every claim or element of a claim has to be disclosed in the prior art in order for a patent application to be barred by anticipation. If an application is amended to consist of claims not disclosed in the prior art, invalidation by anticipation can be avoided.