expect
verb (used with object)
to look forward to; regard as likely to happen; anticipate the occurrence or the coming of.
have been expecting
-
present perfect progressiveof expect.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
"People like me have been expecting this for a long time," the 62-year-old told AFP on Tuesday, saying security discussions surrounding AI have not been adequately robust.
From Barron's ● Sep. 16, 2026
Economists have been expecting unemployment to hold at 4.1% when they get a readout from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ upcoming jobs report, due out Friday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
Meta has already laid off around 2,000 employees this year in smaller rounds of cuts, but employees have been expecting deeper job losses in the coming months, as the BBC previously reported.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
A William Blair analyst team, led by Jed Dorsheimer, on Tuesday wrote that they have been expecting AI customers to flock to Aehr, resulting in an acceleration in orders.
From Barron's ● Apr. 3, 2026
“We have been expecting you,” he said again.
From "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman
