expect
verb (used with object)
to look forward to; regard as likely to happen; anticipate the occurrence or the coming of.
had been expecting
-
past perfect progressiveof expect.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
That’s only slightly above the $6.69 billion that analysts tracked by FactSet had been expecting.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
On Wednesday, the world’s only $5 trillion company reported its second-quarter earnings, which included the blockbuster mic drop that the company expects its revenue to grow much faster than Wall Street analysts had been expecting.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
Simon Woodward, whose home is in Benbuck View, said some residents were very upset and left in tears by the news, but that it was an outcome he had been expecting.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
For the June quarter, Super Micro reported revenue of $11.1 billion, which came in below the $11.6 billion analysts tracked by FactSet had been expecting.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
Something in his smile said he had been expecting me.
From "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli
