expectation
Americannoun
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the act or the state of expecting.
to wait in expectation.
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the act or state of looking forward or anticipating.
- Synonyms:
- trust, hope, anticipation, expectancy
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an expectant mental attitude.
a high pitch of expectation.
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something expected; a thing looked forward to.
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Often expectations. a prospect of future good or profit.
to have great expectations.
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the degree of probability that something will occur.
There is little expectation that he will come.
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Mathematics, Statistics. mathematical expectation.
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the state of being expected.
a large sum of money in expectation.
noun
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the act or state of expecting or the state of being expected
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(usually plural) something looked forward to, whether feared or hoped for
we have great expectations for his future
their worst expectations
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an attitude of expectancy or hope; anticipation
to regard something with expectation
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statistics
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the numerical probability that an event will occur
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another term for expected value
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Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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expectationistnoun
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overexpectationnoun
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preexpectationnoun
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superexpectationnoun
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expectationaladjective
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expectativeadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of expectation
First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin ex(s)pectātiōn-, stem of ex(s)pectātiō “anticipation, suspense,” from ex(s)pectāt(us) (past participle of ex(s)pectāre “to look out for, await”) + -iō -ion; see expect
Explanation
An expectation is a belief about what might happen in the future, like your expectation to stay close with your best friends your whole life. The word expectation comes from the Latin word expectationem, meaning "an awaiting." If you have great expectations, you think something good will come your way, but if keep your expectations low, you won't risk being disappointed. Expectation can also describe something that is supposed to happen, like a teacher whose expectation is that everyone comes to class prepared.
Vocabulary lists containing expectation
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
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The Crossover
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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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:
“The expectation is that the market gets surprised by how much money this capex is actually generating within the next two quarters,” they said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026
Still, I believe that three other nations have almost an expectation to win the title, not us.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
That extends Black Butte’s mine life by four years, which is in line with Jefferies’s expectation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
“There is ‘an expectation that even the Attorney General must be able to draw the line between political allegiance and fidelity to the people, as well as the fair administration of law,’ ” Williams wrote.
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026
When the court scheduled a hearing in October 1987 on pretrial motions in Walter's case, Chestnut and Boynton showed up with no expectation that any of their motions would be granted.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
The company attributed the lower outlook to special items and nonoperating adjustments that hit bottom-line expectations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Last week’s improving earnings-estimates momentum among banks showed that rising earnings expectations are broadening out beyond technology and consumer companies.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Novartis said Tuesday that group sales exceeded expectations in the second quarter of 2026, on the back of a range of new products.
From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026
Price advances with the latest escalation have been contained by expectations there could be a return to talks at any time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
The journey to Cambridge was loaded with expectations.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
