expect
Americanverb (used with object)
-
expects,
present (3rd person singular)
-
expected,
past participle, past
-
expecting
present participle
-
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.
-
to look for with reason or justification.
We expect obedience.
-
Informal. to suppose or surmise; guess.
I expect that you are tired from the trip.
-
to anticipate the birth of (one's child).
Paul and Sylvia expect their second very soon.
idioms
verb
-
to regard as probable or likely; anticipate
he expects to win
-
to look forward to or be waiting for
we expect good news today
-
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
-
expectednessnoun
-
expecternoun
-
overexpectverb
-
preexpectverb (used with object)
-
expectableadjective
-
unexpectableadjective
-
unexpectingadjective
-
expectablyadverb
-
expectedlyadverb
-
expectinglyadverb
-
unexpectablyadverb
-
unexpectinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
expectsimple
-
expectssimple
-
have expectedperfect
-
has expectedperfect
-
am expectingprogressive
-
are expectingprogressive
-
is expectingprogressive
-
have been expectingperfect progressive
-
has been expectingperfect progressive
Past
-
expectedsimple
-
had expectedperfect
-
was expectingprogressive
-
were expectingprogressive
-
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 5
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Think
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Fans can expect an update around that time, according to the post.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
She said: "I would never expect this in Cambridge of all places. I am just hoping these bites will go as soon as possible and I will look normal and get on with my life."
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
"People in the North East rightly expect a strong, coordinated response to this incident," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
His writing is what you would expect from someone who built a company “into a global data powerhouse, reshaping how online businesses understood their users.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
Chase wasn’t sure what to expect, but his father looked perfectly at ease in front of the camera, as if he’d been on TV every day of his life.
From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith
It expects to generate $67 billion a year in revenue and about $28 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
Steven Naismith, who served as Clarke's assistant, said last month he expects to continue in the national team set-up under a new boss.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
The Food and Drug Administration said this week that it expects the number of confirmed cases nationwide to rise.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
For fiscal 2027, the company said it expects revenue to decline at a mid-single-digit percentage rate compared with the prior outlook of a slight decline, blaming softer demand in North America and Asia-Pacific.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
“I think you impressed him. He’s very kind but expects perfection.”
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Dolphin is expected to make landfall on China's eastern coast late on Sunday or early on Monday.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Hillsborough sat near the far end of that debris path, where the largest pieces were expected to reach the ground.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026
Nebius is also expected to post a steeper per-share loss compared to the year-ago quarter, according to FactSet.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 8, 2026
The billboard’s occupancy along the Sunset Strip is expected to end Saturday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
But didn’t Mom react exactly how she expected?
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Boss Renee Slegers is equally bullish about Arsenal's targets for this season and is expecting her players to deliver.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
Warby Parker backed its full-year revenue outlook of $959 million to $976 million, while Wall Street analysts are expecting $979.9 million.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
For 2026, Datadog is expecting revenue of between $4.45 billion and $4.47 billion and adjusted earnings per share of between $2.50 and $2.54.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
I may or may not have rolled my eyes, expecting to see a spider—something my North London upbringing taught me to care little about—when I froze.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
In the next instant, I remembered Elliot and turned, expecting to find him at my side, but he was nowhere in sight.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
