as in anticipation
the act or state of looking forward to some occurrence
that feeling of optimistic expectancy that fills theatergoers as they wait for the curtain to rise
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Recent Examples of expectancy
In fact, there’s research to suggest that expectancy violations are even more crucial in female friendships.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The petition seeks a jury trial and damages exceeding $25,000 for each count, including claims of discrimination, retaliation, defamation, invasion of privacy and interference with contract or business expectancy.
—Benjamin Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 20 Dec. 2025
The researchers used a waitlist rather than an active control group, so results could partly reflect expectancy or placebo effects.
—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
See All Example Sentences for expectancy
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The petition seeks a jury trial and damages exceeding $25,000 for each count, including claims of discrimination, retaliation, defamation, invasion of privacy and interference with contract or business expectancy.
—Benjamin Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 20 Dec. 2025
The researchers used a waitlist rather than an active control group, so results could partly reflect expectancy or placebo effects.
—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
See All Example Sentences for expectancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expectancy
Noun
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Follow the Cotton Trail Together Let the excitement and anticipation of following the Easter bunny's path fill the night before Easter.—
Laura Fenton,
Parents,
5 Mar. 2026
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So, many people will know that the chorus in their song is about to come back, and the anticipation of those pleasurable moments in that song actually lead to dopamine release, as well as those peak moments like the chorus itself.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That is exactly what has begun in Iran, after months of succession planning with the expectation that 86-year-old Khamenei could be assassinated.—
Robert A. Pape In The Los Angeles Times,
Arkansas Online,
3 Mar. 2026
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Stock market investors mostly care about companies’ profits and future expectations.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expectancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expectancy. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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