as in anticipations
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 expectations
Lee is happy the Sailors are off to a 4-0 start but believes the team is playing nowhere near expectations.
—
Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026
By late spring and early summer, though, gold had pushed decisively above the $3,500 mark, setting a fresh record and signaling that demand was staying strong even as markets adjusted to shifting rate-cut expectations.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
This necessity balanced out Donovan’s natural inclination to play Dillingham under stricter expectations.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
As Luna in your financial quadrant pokes the Sun in your friendship zone, money boundaries and group expectations likely tug in different directions.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026
Home-buying expectations were little changed in February, generally a slow time for the housing market, which has been mired in a yearslong slump.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The documentary, which was co-produced by the first lady, exceeded expectations by making back $8 million on its opening weekend.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
For the second time in five days, an American figure skater with serious medal hopes could not meet expectations.
—Brittany Ghiroli, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Skincare delivered €551 million in sales and represented 11% of the group’s full-year revenue, beating market expectations.
—Hikmat Mohammed, Vogue, 18 Feb. 2026
Michael Huntley, Oc Register, 25 Feb. 2026
By late spring and early summer, though, gold had pushed decisively above the $3,500 mark, setting a fresh record and signaling that demand was staying strong even as markets adjusted to shifting rate-cut expectations.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026
This necessity balanced out Donovan’s natural inclination to play Dillingham under stricter expectations.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
As Luna in your financial quadrant pokes the Sun in your friendship zone, money boundaries and group expectations likely tug in different directions.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026
Home-buying expectations were little changed in February, generally a slow time for the housing market, which has been mired in a yearslong slump.
—Matt Ott, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
The documentary, which was co-produced by the first lady, exceeded expectations by making back $8 million on its opening weekend.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 24 Feb. 2026
For the second time in five days, an American figure skater with serious medal hopes could not meet expectations.
—Brittany Ghiroli, New York Times, 18 Feb. 2026
Skincare delivered €551 million in sales and represented 11% of the group’s full-year revenue, beating market expectations.
—Hikmat Mohammed, Vogue, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expectations
anticipations
Noun
-
For traders focused on specific events, having a strong grasp of historical trends can be beneficial, although the results are largely contingent on how the company’s outcomes measure up to market anticipations.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Expectations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expectations. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
