expect

American  

[ik-spekt] / ɪkˈspɛkt /

verb (used with object)

1. 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.

2. to look for with reason or justification.

   We expect obedience.

3. Informal. to suppose or surmise; guess.

   I expect that you are tired from the trip.

4. to anticipate the birth of (one's child).

   Paul and Sylvia expect their second very soon.

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idioms

1. be expecting, to be pregnant.

   The cat is expecting again.

expect British  

/ ɪkˈspɛkt /

verb

1. to regard as probable or likely; anticipate

   he expects to win

2. to look forward to or be waiting for

   we expect good news today

3. to decide that (something) is requisite or necessary; require

   the boss expects us to work late today

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expect More Idioms  

1. see when least expected.

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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

• expectable adjective
• expectably adverb
• expectedly adverb
• expectedness noun
• expecter noun
• expectingly adverb
• overexpect verb
• preexpect verb (used with object)
• unexpectable adjective
• unexpectably adverb
• unexpecting adjective
• unexpectingly adverb

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; 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."

Example Sentences

“Postcrisis, maybe the clearest winner—we would really expect to see exports from China of clean technologies going through the roof.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

As research at the site continues, scientists expect even more discoveries that could deepen our understanding of how human society first began to take shape.

From Science Daily • Apr. 12, 2026

In the same way, a reverse stock split is a psychological negative, because it appears to imply that the company doesn’t expect the stock price to rise on its own.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 12, 2026

What do you expect in terms of tariff refunds?

From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026

I don’t know what I expect to see.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

• await
• forecast
• foresee
• hope
• predict
• suppose
• take
• think