as in expectation
the act or state of looking forward to some occurrence in anticipation of a job offer, she had already begun looking for an apartment in the city where the company was based

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun anticipation differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of anticipation are foretaste, outlook, and prospect. While all these words mean "an advance realization of something to come," anticipation implies a prospect or outlook that involves advance suffering or enjoyment of what is foreseen.

the anticipation of her arrival

When is it sensible to use foretaste instead of anticipation?

While the synonyms foretaste and anticipation are close in meaning, foretaste implies an actual though brief or partial experience of something forthcoming.

the frost was a foretaste of winter

In what contexts can outlook take the place of anticipation?

In some situations, the words outlook and anticipation are roughly equivalent. However, outlook suggests a forecasting of the future.

a favorable outlook for the economy

When could prospect be used to replace anticipation?

Although the words prospect and anticipation have much in common, prospect implies expectation of a particular event, condition, or development of definite interest or concern.

the prospect of a quiet weekend

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 anticipation In anticipation, a team of linesmen from the United States, Canada and St Vincent arrived in the country this week to help restore power if needed. Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025 Thousands more converged on the DoCo corridor with a growing sense of anticipation as game time neared. Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 25 Oct. 2025 Trump has ruled out a meeting but there will be anticipation over whether the trade spat between the neighbors can be mended. Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025 These stories don’t require any element of surprise; the appeal of this kind of romance is built on anticipation, on our expectation that people who are destined to be together will in fact get together. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for anticipation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anticipation
Noun
  • Still, the new mom doesn’t think the expectation of hosting is fair given the circumstances.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
  • In July, the company reported a 39% rise in sales, beating Wall Street expectations of 34%.
    Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • Columbia also scored high in the health category, with women in the city enjoying the 10th-best life expectancy at birth.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Giannina Altuve posted video of the family celebrating the expectance of their second child on Sunday afternoon.
    Houston Chronicle, Houston Chronicle, 11 Nov. 2019

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Anticipation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anticipation. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on anticipation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!