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
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Recent Examples of expectations
Consumers aren’t jazzed about the future, either; the Conference Board’s expectations index also fell in January, with projections for the labor market and the business market falling further into the negative, along with predictions for household incomes.
—
Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 10 Feb. 2026
From Carrier’s perspective, that role is being tested by changing expectations around visibility and responsiveness.
—William Jones, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Betrayal teaches them to shrink their expectations.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
This can help both partners manage expectations and take things less personally.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 10 Feb. 2026
The Chicago Bulls didn’t land in New York with much in the way of expectations.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Ferrari also delivered full-year 2026 earnings and revenue guidance in line with expectations, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet.
—Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
But perhaps that’s part of James’ point — that body expectations for women are so unrealistic that many, like Hana, are driven to starvation and self-loathing.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Its forecast for 61% growth in revenue this year also topped analysts’ expectations.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 10 Feb. 2026
From Carrier’s perspective, that role is being tested by changing expectations around visibility and responsiveness.
—William Jones, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Betrayal teaches them to shrink their expectations.
—Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
This can help both partners manage expectations and take things less personally.
—Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 10 Feb. 2026
The Chicago Bulls didn’t land in New York with much in the way of expectations.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 10 Feb. 2026
Ferrari also delivered full-year 2026 earnings and revenue guidance in line with expectations, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet.
—Scott Schnipper, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026
But perhaps that’s part of James’ point — that body expectations for women are so unrealistic that many, like Hana, are driven to starvation and self-loathing.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Its forecast for 61% growth in revenue this year also topped analysts’ expectations.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 3 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 14 Feb. 2026.
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