as in watchful
having or showing signs of eagerly awaiting something
couldn't control his anticipatory excitement on Christmas morning
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of anticipatory
Davie and Turness both leaving feels like an anticipatory move of the charter fight to come.
—
Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 10 Nov. 2025
Haq said the agency is also preparing to deliver anticipatory electronic money distributions totaling $900,000 to meet urgent humanitarian needs for about 45,000 people.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
The late Christopher Gray once wrote about the anticipatory destruction of the Cherokee Club, a sweet building from 1890 that was taken down in the late 1970s.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 23 Oct. 2025
The 49ers’ system is big on anticipatory throws which require the quarterback to throw to a spot and trust the receiver to be there.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anticipatory
Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 10 Nov. 2025
Haq said the agency is also preparing to deliver anticipatory electronic money distributions totaling $900,000 to meet urgent humanitarian needs for about 45,000 people.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
The late Christopher Gray once wrote about the anticipatory destruction of the Cherokee Club, a sweet building from 1890 that was taken down in the late 1970s.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 23 Oct. 2025
The 49ers’ system is big on anticipatory throws which require the quarterback to throw to a spot and trust the receiver to be there.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for anticipatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anticipatory
Adjective
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Browning butter is simple to do but requires a watchful eye and keen senses.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
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Otherwise, keep a watchful eye on these under the broiler.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Doulas advise and assist expectant parents on everything from pregnancy aches and pains to the birth itself.—
Kathy Kristof,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Dec. 2025
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In another post, the expectant mom shared some behind-the-scenes footage from her maternity shoot.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
22 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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View gallery - 9 images Designed as a permanent home for a couple of enthusiastic travelers, the Bespoke Base doesn't compromise on comfort.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 Jan. 2026
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McNally’s enthusiastic endorsement of Altadena and its agrarian and esthetic charms led wealthy families from the Midwest and East to [build] their winter homes in Altadena.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The 23-year-old Shou, a lifelong Fremont resident, won out over hundreds of others eager to play 17-year-old Joe, a troubled San Gabriel Valley area high school student with schizophrenia whose distraught mom Irene (Liu, in a transformative performance) is dying of cancer.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Hosted by Variety’s Angelique Jackson and Marc Malkin, the pre-show will deliver exclusive access, must-see interviews and real-time coverage from the first spot on the carpet, serving as the ultimate destination for fans eager to experience the night unfold.—
William Earl,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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In Clayton’s and Josephson’s hands, though, the fawn response becomes something more pliable, less a sign of acute threat than a broadly anxious orientation to the world.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
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Six-year-old Lucas Kincaid of Molalla, Oregon stood with his family to take a final peek in the hulking main telescope beneath the dome in anxious anticipation, snug in his furry hooded jacket like a hibernating bear cub about to meet the Wonderful Wizard of Oz.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Anticipatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anticipatory. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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