Definition of expectation
1 : the act or state of expecting : anticipation in expectation of what would happen
2a : something expected not up to expectations expectations for an economic recoveryb : basis for expecting : assurance they have every expectation of successc : prospects of inheritance —usually used in plural
3 : the state of being expected
4a : expectancy 2bb : expected value
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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 of expectation from the Web
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A mountain of research on women leaders has found that the idea of a powerful woman runs counter to most people’s expectations for what’s considered feminine –quiet, supportive, nurturing and definitely not ambitious.
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The five-year breakeven rate, a measure of inflation expectations, is near a five-week low at 5.30 percent.
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The incoming milk donations have surpassed expectations, said Kristina Habchi, program director at the milk bank.
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A weeklong series dedicated to skewering the traditions, expectations, and psychodrama that surround wedding season.
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When on the podium to start the second day of the league’s media days, Herman didn’t even wait for reporters to ask him about expectations for the Longhorns.
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When the army ceded power last year to Aung San Suu Kyi, its Nobel-prize-winning opponent of 30 years, expectations were astronomically high, even though the constitution the generals had written severely limited her powers.
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Still, Meyerson said expectations about what Adams might do in Washington have to be tempered by political reality.
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But even with tempered expectations, Tuesday’s outing from the 31-year-old Bailey was nothing but encouraging.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'expectation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of expectation
1540
EXPECTATION Defined for English Language Learners
expectation
playDefinition of expectation for English Language Learners
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: a belief that something will happen or is likely to happen
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: a feeling or belief about how successful, good, etc., someone or something will be
EXPECTATION Defined for Kids
expectation
playDefinition of expectation for Students
1 : the state of looking forward to or waiting for something The crowd waited in expectation for her.
2 : something expected The expectation was for a win.
Learn More about expectation
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See words that rhyme with expectation Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for expectation Spanish Central: Translation of expectation Nglish: Translation of expectation for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of expectation for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about expectation
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