expectation

[ek-spek-tey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or the state of expecting.

   to wait in expectation.

2. the act or state of looking forward or anticipating.

   Synonyms: trust, hope, anticipation, expectancy

3. an expectant mental attitude.

   a high pitch of expectation.

4. something expected; a thing looked forward to.

5. Often expectations. a prospect of future good or profit.

   to have great expectations.

6. the degree of probability that something will occur.

   There is little expectation that he will come.

7. Mathematics, Statistics.,  mathematical expectation.

8. the state of being expected.

   a large sum of money in expectation.

expectation

/ ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃən, ɪkˈspɛktətɪv /

noun

1. the act or state of expecting or the state of being expected

2. (usually plural) something looked forward to, whether feared or hoped for

   we have great expectations for his future

   their worst expectations

3. an attitude of expectancy or hope; anticipation

   to regard something with expectation

4. statistics

   1. the numerical probability that an event will occur

   2. another term for expected value

Other Word Forms

• expectational adjective
• expectationist noun
• overexpectation noun
• preexpectation noun
• superexpectation noun
• expectative adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of expectation¹

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; expect

Example Sentences

“But the pressure’s always going to be there. Especially when you’re this team, when you’re the Los Angeles Dodgers, there’s a lot of expectations around you. There’s a lot of pressure.”

From Los Angeles Times

But neither side exited the meeting with expectations of a breakthrough.

From Los Angeles Times

Expecting a definitive answer may have been a foolish expectation to have for “Alice in Borderland,” a series that revels in the in-between.

From Salon

Even the notoriously feisty New York fans were there in hope, rather than expectation.

From BBC

Leonard’s performance has fallen short of expectations, so even the league voiding the last two years of his contract would have limited sting, and save the franchise the $100 million owed to the 34-year-old forward.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• assumption 
• chance 
• confidence 
• fear 
• forecast 
• hope 
• intention 
• likelihood 
• notion 
• outlook 
• possibility 
• prediction 
• promise 
• prospect 
• trust 
• view