anticipation

[an-tis-uh-pey-shuh n]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR anticipation ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of anticipating or the state of being anticipated.

realization in advance; foretaste.

expectation or hope.

previous notion; slight previous impression.

intuition, foreknowledge, or prescience.

Law. a premature withdrawal or assignment of money from a trust estate.

Music. a tone introduced in advance of its harmony so that it sounds against the preceding chord.

Nearby words

Origin of anticipation

1540–50; (< Middle French) < Latin anticipātiōn- (stem of anticipātiō), equivalent to anticipāt(us) (past participle; see anticipate) + -iōn- -ion

Related formsnon·an·tic·i·pa·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for anticipation

There was an air of excitement and anticipation in the lobby as showtime approached.
I Was Honeydicked Into Spending Christmas with ‘The Interview’|Allison McNearney|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
First, there was the anticipation and excitement that there was going to be a movie.
Inside the Lifetime Whitney Houston Movie’s Lesbian Lover Storyline|Kevin Fallon|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In anticipation of the new series, Gail Simone spoke with The Daily Beast via email.
Gail Simone’s Bisexual Catman and the ‘Secret Six’|Rich Goldstein|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Vieira dumped his personal Facebook page a few weeks ago, partly in anticipation of more backlash that will come with the show.
Hunting for a Real-Life Hagrid|Nina Strochlic|November 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In anticipation of 2016 the GOP had better consolidate its goods and reinvent its brand.
Wake Up, Republicans: Hillary Clinton’s Machine Can Crush You|Myra Adams|September 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He laughed like a schoolboy in anticipation of a prank, and held his scented handkerchief to his nose.
El Dorado|Baroness Orczy
And, therefore, the larger your anticipation is, the more direct and compendious is your search.
The Advancement of Learning|Francis Bacon
She had shrunk in anticipation from the questionings of her own family, now she would be spared these for a while longer.
Aletta|Bertram Mitford
Pope's performance was universally preferred, and even Tickell himself yielded by anticipation.
Alexander Pope|Leslie Stephen
"No fear about that," replied the boy, whose eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Glories of Spain|Charles W. Wood

British Dictionary definitions for anticipation

anticipation

noun

the act of anticipating; expectation, premonition, or foresight

the act of taking or dealing with funds before they are legally available or due

music an unstressed, usually short note introduced before a downbeat and harmonically related to the chord immediately following itCompare suspension (def. 11)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for anticipation

anticipation

late 14c., from Latin anticipationem (nominative anticipatio) "preconception, preconceived notion," noun of action from past participle stem of anticipare "take care of ahead of time" (see anticipate). Meaning "action of looking forward to" is from 1809.

anticipation

noun

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Origin of anticipation

Examples from the Web for anticipation

anticipation

noun

anticipation