as in anticipation
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 expectation
One of the biggest reasons the Broncos had such high expectations is because of a defense that is as good as any in the league.
—
Mark Kern, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Burry’s return to social media comes at a time when investors have voiced concerns about expensive valuations, a market concentrated on a handful of large companies and rising investor expectations.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025
In a thread posted by r/starbucks, Redditors commented on expectations the item would sell out quickly.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Even with expectations for this season always low (even by Browns post-1999 standards), does anyone watching think this team is anywhere close to becoming a contender — even with a pair of potential top-15 picks in the 2026 draft?
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expectation
Mark Kern, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Burry’s return to social media comes at a time when investors have voiced concerns about expensive valuations, a market concentrated on a handful of large companies and rising investor expectations.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025
In a thread posted by r/starbucks, Redditors commented on expectations the item would sell out quickly.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Even with expectations for this season always low (even by Browns post-1999 standards), does anyone watching think this team is anywhere close to becoming a contender — even with a pair of potential top-15 picks in the 2026 draft?
—Zac Jackson, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expectation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expectation
Noun
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The 2026 World Cup is right around the corner, and anticipation for the biggest event in sports is building rapidly.—
Ben Verbrugge,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
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And perhaps most tellingly, the entire event was tinged with anticipation of Japan’s 2026 spotlight as the Cannes Film Market’s Country of Honor, a coronation that arrives just as Korean and Chinese competitors are nipping at Japanese content’s heels.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Just look at this win expectancy chart.—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
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The researchers used a waitlist rather than an active control group, so results could partly reflect expectancy or placebo effects.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Expectation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expectation. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
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