anticipate
- to realize beforehand; foretaste or foresee: to anticipate pleasure.
- to expect; look forward to; be sure of: to anticipate a favorable decision.
- to perform (an action) before another has had time to act.
- to answer (a question), obey (a command), or satisfy (a request) before it is made: He anticipated each of my orders.
- to nullify, prevent, or forestall by taking countermeasures in advance: to anticipate a military attack.
- to consider or mention before the proper time: to anticipate more difficult questions.
- to be before (another) in doing, thinking, achieving, etc.: Many modern inventions were anticipated by Leonardo da Vinci.
- Finance.
- to expend (funds) before they are legitimately available for use.
- to discharge (an obligation) before it is due.
- to think, speak, act, or feel an emotional response in advance.
Origin of anticipate
Synonyms for anticipate
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comUsage note
Related Words for anticipating
foresee, assume, await, forecast, see, delay, prevent, forestall, conjecture, visualize, figure, prophesy, entertain, foretell, suppose, prognosticate, divine, wait, hinder, apprehendExamples from the Web for anticipating
Contemporary Examples of anticipating
Studies show that people even experience pleasure from anticipating trips.
A bemused line reading sneaks in when you are anticipating a hammy hard sell.
We are not commemorating her—we are cherishing her and celebrating her and anticipating her return.
Person of Interest Identified in Disappearance of UVA Student Hannah GrahamJulia Horowitz
September 19, 2014
Evanhaim is anticipating a climate in which state-wide regulations require them: “We always want to be ahead of things.”
The United States, anticipating a post-Afghanistan war era, is turning its attention to Asia in a so-called “Pacific Pivot.”
Historical Examples of anticipating
Affery, anticipating the last movement, was on the staircase.
Little DorritCharles Dickens
Much obliged to you for recalling it so accurately and anticipating me.
Little DorritCharles Dickens
The pleasure of the next day, the day she had been anticipating, was spoiled already for her.
Mary-'GustaJoseph C. Lincoln
They are anticipating the Home Rule Bill in their disposal of the land.
Ireland as It IsRobert John Buckley (AKA R.J.B.)
"It's all right, dad," he said, anticipating his inevitable question.
The MissionaryGeorge Griffith
anticipate
- (may take a clause as object) to foresee and act in advance ofhe anticipated the fall in value by selling early
- to thwart by acting in advance of; forestallI anticipated his punch by moving out of reach
- (also intr) to mention (something) before its proper timedon't anticipate the climax of the story
- (may take a clause as object) to regard as likely; expect; foreseehe anticipated that it would happen
- to make use of in advance of possessionhe anticipated his salary in buying a house
- to pay (a bill, etc) before it falls due
- to cause to happen soonerthe spread of nationalism anticipated the decline of the Empire
Word Origin for anticipate
usage
Word Origin and History for anticipating
anticipate
1530s, "to cause to happen sooner," a back-formation from anticipation, or else from Latin anticipatus, past participle of anticipare "take (care of) ahead of time," literally "taking into possession beforehand," from ante "before" (see ante) + capere "to take" (see capable).
Later "to be aware of (something) coming at a future time" (1640s). Used in the sense of "expect, look forward to" since 1749, but anticipate has an element of "prepare for, forestall" that should prevent its being used as a synonym for expect. Related: Anticipated; anticipating.