Synonym Chooser

How is the word anticipate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of anticipate are divine, foreknow, and foresee. While all these words mean "to know beforehand," anticipate implies taking action about or responding emotionally to something before it happens.

the waiter anticipated our every need

How are the words divine and foresee related as synonyms of anticipate?

Divine adds to foresee the suggestion of exceptional wisdom or discernment.

was able to divine Europe's rapid recovery from the war

When would foreknow be a good substitute for anticipate?

Although the words foreknow and anticipate have much in common, foreknow usually implies supernatural assistance, as through revelation.

if only we could foreknow our own destinies

In what contexts can foresee take the place of anticipate?

The synonyms foresee and anticipate are sometimes interchangeable, but foresee implies nothing about how the knowledge is derived and may apply to ordinary reasoning and experience.

economists should have foreseen the recession

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of anticipate Due to the team's revival, the assistant coach wrote to KISS twice sharing their story, and KISS responded in a manner small town Cadillac did not anticipate. Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 17 Oct. 2025 What To Know NWS meteorologists at the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) began tracking the atmospheric river earlier this week, anticipating the storm will impact the Pacific Northwest from October 24 to October 27. Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025 In addition, at least two Rockets brand convenience stores and Shell gas station combos are anticipated to open in the area by the end of 2025. Olivia Evans, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Oct. 2025 Variety anticipated the appointment in an article published in May at the Cannes Film Festival here. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for anticipate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anticipate
Verb
  • The Ohio Valley's snowiest periods are expected to be in late December, early January, early February and late February.
    Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Investors cheered the improbable rise of the amateur heavy metal drummer and hard-line conservative, who’s expected to increase defense spending, cut taxes, and revive Japan’s nuclear power industry.
    Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Those with clout in various spheres coalesced into one clubby circle, and fell prey to a groupthink that foresaw riches for everyone, without consequences.
    Evan Hughes, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025
  • But in a turn of events that no one at the distillery could have foreseen, this almost didn’t happen—on July 31, a truckload of Westland whiskey worth almost $1 million, including nearly half of the Garryana bottles, was stolen.
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Current had no definitive answer on the extent of her injury, as the club awaited the results of an MRI during the postgame news conference.
    Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Gorgeous beaches and some of the world’s best scuba diving and snorkeling sites await in Okinawa.
    Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Winter's wrath continues with another cold spell predicted for mid-February.
    Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Awards pundits predict that both White and Strong will be Oscar contenders for their performances, which have been praised by critics on the film festival circuit.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Anticipate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anticipate. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.

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