expectation
Americannoun
-
expectations
plural
-
the act or the state of expecting.
to wait in expectation.
-
the act or state of looking forward or anticipating.
- Synonyms:
- trust, hope, anticipation, expectancy
-
an expectant mental attitude.
a high pitch of expectation.
-
something expected; a thing looked forward to.
-
Often expectations. a prospect of future good or profit.
to have great expectations.
-
the degree of probability that something will occur.
There is little expectation that he will come.
-
Mathematics, Statistics. mathematical expectation.
-
the state of being expected.
a large sum of money in expectation.
noun
-
the act or state of expecting or the state of being expected
-
(usually plural) something looked forward to, whether feared or hoped for
we have great expectations for his future
their worst expectations
-
an attitude of expectancy or hope; anticipation
to regard something with expectation
-
statistics
-
the numerical probability that an event will occur
-
another term for expected value
-
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
expectationistnoun
-
overexpectationnoun
-
preexpectationnoun
-
superexpectationnoun
-
expectationaladjective
-
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
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!
The Crossover
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!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"
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:
Bank of America has raised its expectation for net interest income growth for 2027 to 8% or more over this year.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
This suggests the effects of compression garments on recovery are physiological and aren’t simply due to expectation or perception.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026
For gross margin, it said it sees about 56% for 2026, compared to a previous expectation of a range between 54% and 56%.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
The England forward has been told he should aim to score "two or three" goals per game - such was his quality and the expectation from his boss.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Probably every new and eagerly expected garment ever put on since clothes came in, fell a trifle short of the wearer’s expectation.
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
Speaking Friday at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank’s annual meeting in Bangkok, Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh declined to share any expectations for the central bank’s upcoming rate-setting meeting.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
Without a studio machine making decisions based primarily on commercial expectations, filmmakers have more room to tell a story on their own terms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
He’s the best when it comes to lowering expectations.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
Canadian housing starts rose 2.8% in September to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 248,896 units, beating market expectations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
“But perhaps your accommodations—your cottage—your furniture—have disappointed your expectations? They are, in truth, scanty enough; but—” I interrupted—
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
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.
