expectant 1 of 2

1
as in eager
having or showing signs of eagerly awaiting something expectant crowds gathered at the spot where the President was scheduled to make an appearance

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2
as in pregnant
containing unborn young within the body a medication that should not be taken by expectant women without permission from their doctors

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expectant

2 of 2

noun

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 expectant
Adjective
Myers takes what could easily become an underwhelming topic and elevates it to a song of yearning, expectant romance. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 18 Aug. 2025 In the second picture, the expectant parents shared a sweet kiss. Kayla Grant, People.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
That was the conclusion reached following an experiment in which the brains of 20 expectant fathers were scanned before and after the birth of a baby, and then compared with the brains of 17 childless men. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025 However, Reddit users were firmly on the expectant mom's side, noting that her mother-in-law's insistence on being included in the birth plans is steamrolling her wishes. Sara Belcher, People.com, 15 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for expectant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expectant
Adjective
  • These water signs are adaptable and eager team players, so help siblings dress up as a school of fish or as a peppy cheer squad that will bring everyone’s feelings up.
    Ella Cerón, Parents, 16 Sep. 2025
  • As always, Fonda was eager to gush about Redford’s looks, charm and shared interests.
    Martha Ross, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The expedition suffered one fatality as one of eight pregnant women on the journey died during childbirth.
    Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Skip to content At 38 weeks pregnant with her second child, Hannah Robb has no time to waste on red tape.
    Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Polls of job approval are routinely used by political strategists to assess the public's appetite for change and can affect fundraising, candidate recruitment and messaging heading into midterm contests.
    Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The sixth woman of the year candidate has scored 24, 21, and 18 points in the last three games against the Valkyries and has routinely been the spark plug for Minnesota in stopping the Golden State’s runs.
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Caption with Intention has been a project in the pipeline since 2019 under the watchful eye of Bruno Mazzotti, an Executive Creative Director at FCB Chicago who, having grown up in Brazil with two deaf parents, identifies as a real-life CODA as in the 2022 Oscar-winning film of the same title.
    Gus Alexiou, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Nine other members of the American team are there, under the watchful eye of Bradley and his vice-captains.
    Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Several championship hopefuls have seemingly structured their contracts with the 2027 offseason in mind.
    Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • This after the Tigers entered the game ranked 84th nationally in total offense, despite a Heisman Trophy hopeful in Garrett Nussmeier at quarterback.
    Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The opposition leader maintains close ties with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, one of the most enthusiastic proponents in the Cabinet of this particular naval buildup.
    Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2025
  • In the same piece from Heyman, Phillies president of baseball operations David Dombrowski gave an even more enthusiastic quote about a potential Schwarber reunion.
    Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • According to Karlin, authentic, thoughtful answers are what make top candidates stand out among hundreds of applicants.
    Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2025
  • If the problem persists, applicants must include documentation for any non-lethal measures taken to remove the birds.
    Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Some of the behavior of the economy in the 2nd quarter was anticipatory, and transitory.
    George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Over the last half-billion years, squid, octopuses and their kin have evolved much like a fireworks display, with long, anticipatory pauses interspersed with intense, explosive changes.
    Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Expectant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expectant. Accessed 19 Sep. 2025.

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