expectation

noun

ex·pec·ta·tion | \ ˌek-ˌspek-ˈtā-shən,

ik-\

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 recovery

b : basis for expecting : assurance they have every expectation of success

c : prospects of inheritance —usually used in plural

3 : the state of being expected

4a : expectancy sense 2b

b : 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 on the Web

The yield on the two-year note, which typically moves with investors’ expectations for central-bank policy, rose to 2.488% from 2.391%. — David Hodari, WSJ, "U.S. Stocks Surge on Powell Remarks, Jobs Report," 4 Jan. 2019 When Lexus set out to create a new cultural space in Manhattan, expectations were high. — Town & Country, "Inside NYC's Latest Hub for Design, Dining, and Culture," 27 Dec. 2018 Chores can teach kids responsibility and initiative — but experts warn that parents should take care not overburden children with unrealistic expectations. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "Where Do You Stand on the Toughest Parenting Questions?," 24 July 2018 How far will Qatari society bend to accommodate guests with certain expectations of the way a World Cup looks and feels? — Andrew Keh, New York Times, "The 2022 World Cup Plants Some Trees and Prepares to Step Into the Spotlight," 12 July 2018 Everyone else — including Andrew Nicholson, Kyle O’Quinn, Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton and now Hezonja — fell short of expectations in Orlando. — Josh Robbins, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Mario Hezonja says having to leave Orlando was ‘unfortunate’," 11 July 2018 And Spears obviously wasn't meeting society's expectations anymore. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "Why Am I Still Thinking About How The View Celebrated Britney Spears' Divorce?," 28 Nov. 2018 Benchmark partner Mitch Lasky, a Snap director until August, on occasion would challenge CEO Evan Spiegel about the company’s failure to meet Wall Street expectations for user growth and profits. — Casey Newton, The Verge, "A majority of Americans don’t think social networks are good for the world," 21 Nov. 2018 The review did highlight the significant challenges in creating and maintaining a successful Google+ that meets consumers’ expectations. — Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, "Google+ shutting down after data leak affecting 500,000 users," 8 Oct. 2018

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.