expect
Americanverb (used with object)
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expects,
present (3rd person singular)
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expected,
past participle, past
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expecting
present participle
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to look forward to; regard as likely to happen; anticipate the occurrence or the coming of.
I expect to read it. I expect him later. She expects that they will come.
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to look for with reason or justification.
We expect obedience.
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Informal. to suppose or surmise; guess.
I expect that you are tired from the trip.
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to anticipate the birth of (one's child).
Paul and Sylvia expect their second very soon.
idioms
verb
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to regard as probable or likely; anticipate
he expects to win
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to look forward to or be waiting for
we expect good news today
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to decide that (something) is requisite or necessary; require
the boss expects us to work late today
Usage
This sense of expect ( I expect you went with them. I expect you want to leave now. ) is encountered in the speech of educated people but seldom in their writing.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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expectednessnoun
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expecternoun
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overexpectverb
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preexpectverb (used with object)
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expectableadjective
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unexpectableadjective
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unexpectingadjective
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expectablyadverb
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expectedlyadverb
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expectinglyadverb
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unexpectablyadverb
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unexpectinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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expectsimple
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expectssimple
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have expectedperfect
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has expectedperfect
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am expectingprogressive
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are expectingprogressive
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is expectingprogressive
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have been expectingperfect progressive
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has been expectingperfect progressive
Past
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expectedsimple
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had expectedperfect
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was expectingprogressive
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were expectingprogressive
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had been expectingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of expect
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin ex(s)pectāre “to look out for, await,” equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + spectāre “to look at,” frequentative of specere; see spectacle
Explanation
If you expect something, you think it’s going to happen. If you got up at 4 in the morning, you can expect to fall asleep earlier than usual tonight. If you expect (or anticipate) something, you are fairly sure that it is coming, though you might not be totally certain. You might expect to graduate from a certificate program on time, barring unforeseen events that prevent you from going to class. If you say, simply, “I’m expecting,” people will assume you’re pregnant. Someone disappointed in you might shake his head and say, "I expected more from you."
Vocabulary lists containing expect
"Eleven"
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List 5
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Think
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"I think they're in a remarkably good position that I didn't expect them to be in," says Patrick Moorhead, founder and CEO of Moor Insights & Strategy.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Some doctors also expect that these drugs have an anti-inflammatory benefit that could help these patients, particularly those with knee pain.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 8, 2026
In contrast not some, not a majority, but all of AI’s inventors and leaders admit it may bring about physical disaster, and most if not all expect at least one.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Forecasters also expect strong rip currents and dangerous waves, which increase the risk of drowning for people swimming at the beach.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
How could I expect Kekeli or any girl to like me in these old rags?
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
Still, Leyva expects to see a shift in U.S. consumer behavior as living costs rise.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Montgomery said Walmart’s leadership team expects there will be messy moments, but top executives and the board view automation as a long-term project that’s worth it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
U.S. bank now expects growth and earnings to be meaningfully above consensus, boosted by better net inflows and increased performance fees.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Quanta expects data center and tech players to account for about 18% of its 2026 revenue, up from 10% a year ago.
From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026
He doesn’t suffer fools lightly—and to him anyone who expects others to solve their problems is a fool.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
East Yorkshire was the driest area anywhere in the UK last month, with some locations recording less than 20% of expected rainfall.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Nasdaq futures rose 0.8%, partly recovering losses from a sharp drop in AI-linked stocks Thursday after a Financial Times report said OpenAI’s annualized revenue would be $20 billion lower than expected.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Norway's Supreme Court is expected to rule soon on licenses for projects in the North Sea.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
But because of the time of year, when demand for water in general falls as we head through autumn and winter, and rainfall normally increases, Yorkshire Water is not expected to apply for any restrictions.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
But that’s where the similarities end, because of something I never expected: Theo’s room is beautiful.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Bloomberg reported Friday that OpenAI is expecting annualized net revenue of $70 billion by the end of the year, mostly on strength in its enterprise business.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
“The pressure was there on them. Two hundred million in Brazil, expecting them to win against a small nation like Norway. I mean, Brazil is Brazil.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
But I'm expecting Glasner to get a decent reception on his return to his old club, and I have a feeling he will take home the three points too.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
“I am expecting at this point coastal flooding on par with the kind of flooding we saw in ’82-’83, ’97-’98, ’15-’16.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
She kept expecting to fall back to the ground.
From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
