1
as in expecting
to believe in the future occurrence of (something)
I anticipate that we'll be seeing you for New Year's
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in foreseeing
to realize or know about beforehand
I anticipated this unhelpful response
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of anticipating
With spring on the horizon, my mind is eagerly anticipating longer days of sunshine, warmer temperatures, and upcoming vacation getaways.
—
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2026
By 1998, burnt out on stimulants and anticipating a Y2K apocalypse, Land had a breakdown, left academia, and dropped off the map.
—James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
As a teacher and mother—and lifelong perfectionist—I was used to tending to others’ emotional needs, anticipating them.
—Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
The county is anticipating the deficit will continue growing as a result of cuts to federal revenues, with the losses causing $500 million in impacts during the 2027-28 fiscal year.
—Grace Hase, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
Which is why, clearly anticipating the question from CNN’s Dana Bash, Bass put the realpolitik of the fate of Lew Wasserman’s grandson on the table.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026
Farther south, communities such as Prescott and Sedona are anticipating highs in the low 60s.
—Christian Cervantes, AZCentral.com, 14 Feb. 2026
Zhu asked in a video earlier this month, anticipating the upcoming holiday.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
All 30 teams are eagerly anticipating the results of Wachtell’s investigation into whether the Clippers arranged a no-show, multimillion-dollar endorsement deal for Kawhi Leonard with a former team sponsor to circumvent the salary cap.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2026
By 1998, burnt out on stimulants and anticipating a Y2K apocalypse, Land had a breakdown, left academia, and dropped off the map.
—James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
As a teacher and mother—and lifelong perfectionist—I was used to tending to others’ emotional needs, anticipating them.
—Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
The county is anticipating the deficit will continue growing as a result of cuts to federal revenues, with the losses causing $500 million in impacts during the 2027-28 fiscal year.
—Grace Hase, Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2026
Which is why, clearly anticipating the question from CNN’s Dana Bash, Bass put the realpolitik of the fate of Lew Wasserman’s grandson on the table.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026
Farther south, communities such as Prescott and Sedona are anticipating highs in the low 60s.
—Christian Cervantes, AZCentral.com, 14 Feb. 2026
Zhu asked in a video earlier this month, anticipating the upcoming holiday.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
All 30 teams are eagerly anticipating the results of Wachtell’s investigation into whether the Clippers arranged a no-show, multimillion-dollar endorsement deal for Kawhi Leonard with a former team sponsor to circumvent the salary cap.
—Joe Vardon, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anticipating
Verb
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Because in order to simply be safe during our sport, while expecting a certain level of performance, our bodies need to be healthy.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
14 Feb. 2026
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Atwood, who had married, had a baby and was expecting a second, had also grown.—
Peter Warren,
Houston Chronicle,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Still, many business heads are upbeat, foreseeing a sense of continuity and a measure of economic reassurance and certainty ahead.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
11 Feb. 2026
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And Tester is foreseeing progress that goes far beyond the 2006 blue wave that swept him into office.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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An upcoming once-daily pill form of tirzepatide, called orforglipron, has shown promising results during clinical trials and is awaiting FDA approval.—
Nicole Hernandez,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
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McKay was jailed for nearly a year awaiting trial on state charges, before a federal grand jury returned an indictment in May 2025 charging him with two methamphetamine distribution charges.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The modern era is full of those predicting that the industrialization of the housing industry is just a few years away, only to be proved wrong.—
Ben Christopher,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
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Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson had just trounced Michael Dukakis in the Michigan presidential primary — despite polls predicting Dukakis would win easily.—
Suzy Khimm,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anticipating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anticipating. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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