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 Lenovo claims this tablet's AI will learn to anticipate your needs and suggest things. Iyaz Akhtar, PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025 Residents can anticipate wind gusts of up to 40 mph. Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025 MacWorld reported that the Pro and Air models are anticipated to have a new camera bar, where the design element holding the phone's rear cameras stretches across the phone. James Powel, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2025 The Idaho clinic also anticipates state lawmakers to pursue plans to oust Planned Parenthood as a covered provider under Medicaid. Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for anticipate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anticipate
Verb
  • Temperatures to heat up in KC The recent stretch of cool, fall-like weather is coming to an end, as temperatures are expected to climb above average later this week.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
  • The French prime minister was widely expected to lose the motion after failing to win support from political rivals on both the right and left for 2026 budget plans aimed at reducing the country's yawning budget deficit.
    Ganesh Rao,Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But Intel failed to foresee the explosion of the smartphone industry in the 2010s and then the artificial intelligence revolution a decade later.
    Tiana Lowe Doescher, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The commotion has come as a surprise to Cooke, who didn’t foresee her role as such a divisive one.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Typically, youth held there are awaiting court hearings, being held on dispositional or correctional orders, or participating in the county's Accountability Program.
    Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings descend down to the shores of Lake Michigan, where Caleb Williams’ Chicago Bears await.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Bregman has been a key player for the team, but FanSided's Chris Landers predicts Bregman will not be back on the Red Sox next year.
    Aaliyan Mohammed, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Only 1 in 5 doctors accurately predicted their patients’ out-of-pocket costs, according to a 2021 JAMA investigation.
    Dr. Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Anticipate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anticipate. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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