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
-
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:
Motorists can expect the following work schedule on Friday night:
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
When he created RunPee in 2008, theatergoers could expect one extra-long film a year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Analysts expect the game to have an impact on the entire video game sector, including on console sales and accessories.
From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026
The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, told him to expect "a significant custodial term" after the verdicts were delivered.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Surely she couldn’t expect us to travel to the Swiss Hotel, so far from London, amid war?
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Next year, BofA Global expects AI-related issuance that’s funded in credit markets to peak at about $685 billion, rising about 31% from this year.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
Michael Schneider of Streets for All, an advocacy nonprofit, said he expects Raman to convene a task force to address issues around the people mover project during her first 100 days in office.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
The health insurer now expects 2026 adjusted earnings of at least $9.50 a share, up from its previous forecast of at least $9 a share.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
The UK government has said it expects the new regulations to be in scope of its proposed food standards deal.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Once the curtain is drawn, Scoob expects Dad to sit back down across from him.
From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone
The figure was lower than the 197,000 new claims expected by economists surveyed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said after the season that he expected “status quo” for the coaching staff.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026
Those reported orders never materialized for several reasons, including a number of high-profile recalls and a much higher price tag than expected.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
The U.S. added 165,000 jobs in October, topping the 59,000 job gain expected by economists polled by WSJ.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026
I expected to see someone like Mr. Quon manning the counter, but a young woman was perched on a tall stool behind it, idly fiddling with an abacus.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
However, Goldman sees gold prices picking up in 2027, with the bank expecting prices to reach $4,800 an ounce next year, still down from its prior projection of $5,400.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2026
During an interview for an assistant at a book publisher in New York, Chas Edwards was asked a question he wasn't expecting.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
Economists are divided on the policy outlook, with some forecasting a rate hike in 2027 and others expecting rates to remain unchanged.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
In June, Jen shared on Instagram that she and Zac were expecting their fourth child together.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026
She kept expecting to fall back to the ground.
From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
