expect
verb (used with object)
to look forward to; regard as likely to happen; anticipate the occurrence or the coming of.
had expected
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past perfectof expect.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Andrew Rocco, a stock strategist at Zacks Investment Research, noted that progress has been slower than investors had expected and that they “really want to see” more robotaxis in new cities.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
Crusoe had expected to expand the site with Oracle and OpenAI, but after the firms signed deals with other developers, Crusoe ended up leasing the additional buildings to Microsoft instead.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
He looked in good shape, surprising several observers who had expected the effects of the cut to be far more visible.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
Yields on long-term US Treasury bonds surged Wednesday after a $6 billion government bond buyback that disappointed markets that had expected a bigger number.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
We had maintained a good pace and the cross-examinations had been shorter than I had expected.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
