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
India's regional peers have acted — some going beyond expectations — to get ahead of the inflation curve.
—
Sri Jegarajah,priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 June 2026
For now, those expectations are on hold.
—Brian Maass, CBS News, 2 June 2026
Children need adults who are present and who hold expectations.
—Desmon Yancy, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Gulf sovereign wealth funds collectively stepped up dealmaking over the last three months, defying expectations that the Iran war would subdue their investment appetite.
—Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 2 June 2026
The delays are attributed to the sheer amount of mail-in ballots received, with expectations that a huge amount will arrive later than usual because of the wide open nature of the gubernatorial contest.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 June 2026
There was intense pressure from management and fans to win from the start of the year, and back-to-back ties under Mascherano in the club’s new $350 million Nu Stadium fell short of expectations.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
Pressure, expectations and the sheer quality of the opposition all contribute to the difficulty.
—Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 27 May 2026
That is a huge part of the grade when entering with title-or-bust expectations.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
Sri Jegarajah,priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 June 2026
For now, those expectations are on hold.
—Brian Maass, CBS News, 2 June 2026
Children need adults who are present and who hold expectations.
—Desmon Yancy, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Gulf sovereign wealth funds collectively stepped up dealmaking over the last three months, defying expectations that the Iran war would subdue their investment appetite.
—Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 2 June 2026
The delays are attributed to the sheer amount of mail-in ballots received, with expectations that a huge amount will arrive later than usual because of the wide open nature of the gubernatorial contest.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 June 2026
There was intense pressure from management and fans to win from the start of the year, and back-to-back ties under Mascherano in the club’s new $350 million Nu Stadium fell short of expectations.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
Pressure, expectations and the sheer quality of the opposition all contribute to the difficulty.
—Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 27 May 2026
That is a huge part of the grade when entering with title-or-bust expectations.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expectations
anticipations
Noun
-
Expectations of rate cuts at central banks like the Federal Reserve and the Bank of England have fallen, and in many cases been replaced by anticipations of hawkish monetary policy, sending yields on some European bonds to multi-decade highs.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
-
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 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
