expectantly

Definition of expectantlynext

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 expectantly The anniversary celebration was capped by a performance from Paul McCartney, another flourish in a production designed to project confidence in the path forward as Wall Street waits expectantly for Apple's AI comeback. Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2026 The children waited expectantly. Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026 Gilberg considered the question, hands clasped beneath his chin, the traffic outside humming expectantly. Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2026 Inside, guests are greeted by the cozy tavern, a cocktail of rustic Adirondack style and modern trappings—the tables adorned in their nightly best, expectantly awaiting patrons. Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2026 The man looked at Schreiber expectantly. Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025 Now Ronny looked up at her expectantly. Bryan Washington, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2025 In the clip, Blakely can be seen looking off camera expectantly, evidently aware something is happening. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expectantly
Adverb
  • The credibility of the FBI analyst who testified so confidently about the matching hairs began to crumble, along with any faith in hair analysis as a reliable forensic tool.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
  • There is evidence of prehistoric settlement at the site now occupied by Madrid, but the city’s origins can be more confidently traced back to at least the 10th century CE.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • Through their investigation, deputies were able to positively identify the suspect as 47-year-old Kurt Gruen, of Grand Terrace in San Bernardino County.
    Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Sometimes peer pressure is used to positively influence people, such as when teens work toward common goals like doing well in school or helping out in their community.
    Amy Morin, Parents, 3 Apr. 2026
Adverb
  • The stories of people who ate joyfully and in a very inspired way kind of spoke to me the most.
    Emma Specter, Vogue, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Her writing process unfolded slowly but joyfully.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • What follows is pure dance, a joyously propulsive, non-stop sequence of duets, trios, ensemble dances.
    Jennifer Homans, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
  • Continuously, some view it more joyously while others see it as a sad event.
    Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Feb. 2026
Adverb
  • When not giddily tearing apart the rom-com – a key conversation between Charlie and Emma happens in the trope-iest of cinematic eateries, a diner – Borgli asks really major thematic questions with his controversial subject matter.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
  • But for all its twists and turns, Boston and her cast, writers, and directors never let up on the promise of the show’s title and the skin-crawling sensations the pilot’s opening scenes (of Rachel and Nicky’s wedding and its insane, bloody aftermath) giddily pile on.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 28 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • The show followed an exuberantly wealthy family who became penniless overnight after falling victim to fraud.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 5 Apr. 2026
  • That’s a nod to another tradition that’s perhaps most exuberantly followed in the colonial city of Antigua, Guatemala, where miles of these carpets are created for Holy Week — twice on Good Friday.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Expectantly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expectantly. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster