as in pregnant
containing unborn young within the body
the special nutritional needs of expecting women
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in anticipating
to believe in the future occurrence of (something)
we expect their arrival late this afternoon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 expecting
Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
Boris Fishman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
Jordan Bender, senior equity analyst at Citizens, is expecting record breaking trading volumes on prediction markets this weekend at the same time that legal wagering on traditional sportsbooks — or handle as it is known — falls 2% from last year.
—Peyton Forte, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Why are fans expecting something explosive?
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
Yun, the expecting mother who quit her job, often finds public attitudes unfriendly toward children.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Vance is currently in Milan, Italy, attending the start of the Winter Olympic Games with second lady Usha Vance, who last month announced that the couple is expecting a fourth child.
—CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
No, no one is expecting a team to mention what was offered, certainly not with a season in progress.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
The Patriots were only up by four points, expecting their dreams to be crushed, but then the unthinkable happened — all thanks to undrafted rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler.
—Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Both are on edge, expecting ICE to show up any moment and tear their lives apart.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
This news marks the first time the National Zoo has had an expecting Asian elephant in nearly 25 years.
—Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 24 Nov. 2025
Verb
Stalin invaded in November of 1939, expecting a quick takeover, but the Finns inflicted many times more casualties on the Soviets before eventually ceding 11 percent of their territory and partial control over their foreign affairs.
—Boris Fishman, Travel + Leisure, 8 Feb. 2026
Jordan Bender, senior equity analyst at Citizens, is expecting record breaking trading volumes on prediction markets this weekend at the same time that legal wagering on traditional sportsbooks — or handle as it is known — falls 2% from last year.
—Peyton Forte, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Why are fans expecting something explosive?
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
Yun, the expecting mother who quit her job, often finds public attitudes unfriendly toward children.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Vance is currently in Milan, Italy, attending the start of the Winter Olympic Games with second lady Usha Vance, who last month announced that the couple is expecting a fourth child.
—CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
No, no one is expecting a team to mention what was offered, certainly not with a season in progress.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
The Patriots were only up by four points, expecting their dreams to be crushed, but then the unthinkable happened — all thanks to undrafted rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler.
—Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 1 Feb. 2026
Both are on edge, expecting ICE to show up any moment and tear their lives apart.
—Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expecting
Adjective
-
There’s also confusion about what the pregnant body can and can’t handle, says Alexandra Hamilton, MD, OB-GYN at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.—
Hannah Silverman,
Parents,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The 2-year-old was looking down at her mom's pregnant tummy.—
Hannah Kirby,
jsonline.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In a meeting this week, Arizona officials seemed to be anticipating failure.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Like other abolitionists anticipating slavery’s spread with westward expansion, Codding was drawn to Lockport, a key location linking the nation.—
Susan DeGrane,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Room by room, the author takes us through the house, now long gone.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Retaining Hall, 39, keeps one familiar face from Dart’s rookie year on the offensive side of the building for his second NFL season, with Brian Daboll, Mike Kafka and Shea Tierney all long gone.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When her mom went missing, awaiting a better result, Guthrie searched there again.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The map recently passed through the Maryland House of Delegates and is awaiting action by the state Senate.—
Sherrilyn Ifill,
Baltimore Sun,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expecting. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
