as in anticipations
the act or state of looking forward to some occurrence
in expectation of a harsh winter, we budgeted more money than usual for the cost of heating our home
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Recent Examples of expectations
Saddled with tepid expectations, Braun has exceeded them.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025
But in the limited engagement of October, every team is strong enough to upend expectations.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
So, when viewing the Raiders’ expectations for running back Ashton Jeanty this season, Bowers is the right man to ask about carrying that load while getting acclimated to the NFL at the same time.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Did the reception from audiences around the world meet your expectations?
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025
Launched in March, Next Design School was created in partnership with Hongik University in Seoul—one of South Korea’s most prestigious art and design institutions—to close the gap between classroom theory and industry expectations.
—Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 16 Oct. 2025
Word count is crucial, and different genres have different expectations.
—Jennifer Sodini, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
The Owensboro news media and some white onlookers insist that when the lady sheriff didn’t show up to act as executioner, there was anger in the press’s unmet expectations, which then was taken out on the crowd, with the reporters lying about the audience’s unruly behavior.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
But Vrabel’s methods are working, because the Patriots are exceeding expectations and punching above their weight atop the AFC East standings.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025
But in the limited engagement of October, every team is strong enough to upend expectations.
—Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
So, when viewing the Raiders’ expectations for running back Ashton Jeanty this season, Bowers is the right man to ask about carrying that load while getting acclimated to the NFL at the same time.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Did the reception from audiences around the world meet your expectations?
—Billboard Japan, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025
Launched in March, Next Design School was created in partnership with Hongik University in Seoul—one of South Korea’s most prestigious art and design institutions—to close the gap between classroom theory and industry expectations.
—Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 16 Oct. 2025
Word count is crucial, and different genres have different expectations.
—Jennifer Sodini, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025
The Owensboro news media and some white onlookers insist that when the lady sheriff didn’t show up to act as executioner, there was anger in the press’s unmet expectations, which then was taken out on the crowd, with the reporters lying about the audience’s unruly behavior.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
But Vrabel’s methods are working, because the Patriots are exceeding expectations and punching above their weight atop the AFC East standings.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expectations
anticipations
Noun
-
For traders focused on specific events, having a strong grasp of historical trends can be beneficial, although the results are largely contingent on how the company’s outcomes measure up to market anticipations.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Expectations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expectations. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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