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
Set one clear boundary today and confirm expectations so your commitments stay strong and manageable.
—
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Taken as a whole, Fan Fest resets expectations for what an after-hours, theme park event should be.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Spotify also delivered revenue in-line with expectations for the first quarter, according to analysts polled by FactSet.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Fun can turn tense faster than expected today, especially if expectations aren’t clear.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026
Set clear expectations and timelines so nothing drifts.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
The fans who experience it smoothly will be the ones who planned early, stayed informed and adapted their expectations to the realities of hosting an event of this scale.
—Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
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
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Taken as a whole, Fan Fest resets expectations for what an after-hours, theme park event should be.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Spotify also delivered revenue in-line with expectations for the first quarter, according to analysts polled by FactSet.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2026
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Fun can turn tense faster than expected today, especially if expectations aren’t clear.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026
Set clear expectations and timelines so nothing drifts.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
The fans who experience it smoothly will be the ones who planned early, stayed informed and adapted their expectations to the realities of hosting an event of this scale.
—Taylor Haught, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
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
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 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
