expectation
Americannoun
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expectations
plural
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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:
That idea clashes with the classical expectation that each particle should possess its own separate physical reality, a feature of quantum mechanics that famously troubled Albert Einstein.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 29, 2026
As for earnings, the JPMorgan team say the 29% year-on-year gain analyst expectation for third-quarter earnings may yet prove conservative.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026
Clubs without the same expectation, like Brentford, Leeds and Hull, can concede possession and have built squads for that style.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
“My hope and expectation is that these just become boring, everyday things.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
That expectation seems unreasonable, yet the dilemma for racial justice advocates is a real one.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
The tankan is likely to show “firmer business sentiment and elevated inflation expectations, bolstering the case for further BOJ rate hikes,” CBA’s Kristina Clifton says in a research report.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Micron Technology MU 0.00%increase; up pointing triangle earnings after the bell Wednesday comfortably beat consensus expectations, renewing investor confidence that demand for the AI build-out was strong and long-lasting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Even after factoring in risks related to operational and manufacturing execution, Bernstein forecasts over $40 billion in revenue for Celestica in 2027, exceeding consensus expectations of $35.5 billion.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 30, 2026
Private sector job growth came in at 90,000 last month, up from 38,000 the month before and well above market expectations.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
As a child, I had many friends who were girls, but somewhere along the way, new expectations had been enforced and I had been taught to keep my distance.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
