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
The department is navigating a heightened security threat amid expectations of a massive crowd at Charlie Kirk's memorial service on Sunday.
—
Luke Barr, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2025
Those expectations were a bit unreasonable.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
As expectations shift and teams seek purpose, connection and authenticity, servant leadership stands out as both practical and powerful.
—Kent Ingle, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The increase, which was broadly in line with economists’ expectations, is the highest rate since January and above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, the figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed.
—Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Cooking type Consider carefully what your expectations for oven usage are to determine what type of thermometer will work best for your purposes.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025
Perhaps the biggest concern for the central bank is a situation in which expectations about future inflation start to shift in a way that suggests Americans are becoming worried about price pressures staying persistently high.
—Colby Smith, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Lazard has failed to live up to expectations during his two seasons with the Jets after registering 60 catches for 841 yards and seven touchdowns in 26 games.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2025
Luke Barr, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2025
Those expectations were a bit unreasonable.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
As expectations shift and teams seek purpose, connection and authenticity, servant leadership stands out as both practical and powerful.
—Kent Ingle, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The increase, which was broadly in line with economists’ expectations, is the highest rate since January and above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, the figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed.
—Natasha Bracken, semafor.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Cooking type Consider carefully what your expectations for oven usage are to determine what type of thermometer will work best for your purposes.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025
Perhaps the biggest concern for the central bank is a situation in which expectations about future inflation start to shift in a way that suggests Americans are becoming worried about price pressures staying persistently high.
—Colby Smith, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Lazard has failed to live up to expectations during his two seasons with the Jets after registering 60 catches for 841 yards and seven touchdowns in 26 games.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2025
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 19 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share