as in anticipation
the act or state of looking forward to some occurrence
in expectation of a harsh winter, we budgeted more money than usual for the cost of heating our home
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Recent Examples of expectation
Cooper, Arnett and Mark Chappell created a screenplay that upends expectations.
—
Carole Horst, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026
Jimmy Dunne, the Grammy- and Emmy-winning songwriter, arrived without expectations—and left with conviction.
—Michelle Edgar, Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
Managing expectations is also a huge part of making vacations a relaxing experience.
—Kaela Ling, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
For example, the concept of the sick role – developed by medical sociologist Talcott Parsons in the 1950s – saw illness as a form of deviance from social roles and expectations.
—Jennifer Singh, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expectation
Carole Horst, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026
Jimmy Dunne, the Grammy- and Emmy-winning songwriter, arrived without expectations—and left with conviction.
—Michelle Edgar, Daily News, 8 Jan. 2026
Managing expectations is also a huge part of making vacations a relaxing experience.
—Kaela Ling, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2026
For example, the concept of the sick role – developed by medical sociologist Talcott Parsons in the 1950s – saw illness as a form of deviance from social roles and expectations.
—Jennifer Singh, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expectation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expectation
Noun
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The defensive skills and anticipation are evident on the football field, too.—
Tarek Fattal,
Daily News,
8 Jan. 2026
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But all of them, and the five months of anticipation ahead, are ripe for daydreaming.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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Just look at this win expectancy chart.—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Expectation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expectation. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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