anticipate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to realize beforehand; foretaste or foresee.
to anticipate pleasure.
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to expect; look forward to; be sure of.
to anticipate a favorable decision.
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to perform (an action) before another has had time to act.
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to answer (a question), obey (a command), or satisfy (a request) before it is made.
He anticipated each of my orders.
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to nullify, prevent, or forestall by taking countermeasures in advance.
to anticipate a military attack.
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to consider or mention before the proper time.
to anticipate more difficult questions.
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to be before (another) in doing, thinking, achieving, etc..
Many modern inventions were anticipated by Leonardo da Vinci.
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Finance.
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to expend (funds) before they are legitimately available for use.
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to discharge (an obligation) before it is due.
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verb (used without object)
verb
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(may take a clause as object) to foresee and act in advance of
he anticipated the fall in value by selling early
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to thwart by acting in advance of; forestall
I anticipated his punch by moving out of reach
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(also intr) to mention (something) before its proper time
don't anticipate the climax of the story
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(may take a clause as object) to regard as likely; expect; foresee
he anticipated that it would happen
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to make use of in advance of possession
he anticipated his salary in buying a house
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to pay (a bill, etc) before it falls due
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to cause to happen sooner
the spread of nationalism anticipated the decline of the Empire
Usage
Despite claims that anticipate should only be used to mean “to perform (an action) or respond to (a question, etc.) in advance” or “to forestall,” it has been used widely since the 18th century as a synonym for expect, often with an implication of pleasure: We anticipate a large turnout at the next meeting. This use is standard in all types of speech and writing.
The use of anticipate to mean expect should be avoided
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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anticipatornoun
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preanticipateverb (used with object)
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anticipatableadjective
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anticipatoryadjective
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anticipatorilyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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anticipatesimple
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anticipatessimple
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have anticipatedperfect
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has anticipatedperfect
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am anticipatingprogressive
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are anticipatingprogressive
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is anticipatingprogressive
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have been anticipatingperfect progressive
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has been anticipatingperfect progressive
Past
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anticipatedsimple
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had anticipatedperfect
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was anticipatingprogressive
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were anticipatingprogressive
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had been anticipatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of anticipate
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin anticipātus “taken before, anticipated,” past participle of anticipāre, “to take before,” equivalent to anti- (variant of ante- ante- ( def. ) ) + -cipāre (combining form of capere “to take”)
Explanation
To anticipate something is to be expecting it. Your dog might be waiting by the door, anticipating his next walk or squirrel chase. "Anticipating something" also often implies that you are preparing to take some action because of your expectations — like when you anticipate your chess opponent's next move and plan a counterattack. The word anticipate can also mean "to come beforehand" — as in a certain musical trend anticipating another.
Vocabulary lists containing anticipate
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 8
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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:
"We didn't anticipate big discoveries, given how extensively the planet has been studied, but we did complement Mars science with the data we collected through Psyche's unique perspective."
From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026
If you don’t anticipate needing the money for several years, consider a diversified bond fund, a balanced stock-and-bond fund or even investing a portion of it in the stock market.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Party members anticipate presidential contenders will start to emerge after the midterm elections.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
For Celeste's parents, it was an ordeal they had prepared themselves for but could never fully anticipate, according to their lawyer.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
But I didn't anticipate such a gloomy reception, either.
From "I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda
Lynch said the team anticipates Shanahan will be back well before the season opener Sept. 11 in Australia against the Rams.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
Krishna anticipates the AI boom will also boost IBM’s revenue, because most customers need someone to come in and hold their hand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
ServiceNow anticipates that over 2.2 billion agents will participate in the global economy in coming years, all of which will need to be tracked and regulated.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
It takes up one-third of a 53-foot tractor trailer—one of 17 trailers “Phantom” travels with, and the team anticipates about 38 hours to load into a venue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Turns out not using the number is harder than Jus anticipates, especially when he’s alone with nothing but memories of his homeboy.
From "Dear Martin" by Nic Stone
Bloomberg News had reported last week on the program’s anticipated launch.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
He was the most anticipated high-school prospect ever seen and has become perhaps the greatest player of all time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Disappointing offerings included such anticipated titles as “Her Private Hell,” Nicolas Winding Refn’s first film in a decade, and Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Sheep in the Box.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
On Friday, fans will see the hotly anticipated preview for "Spaceballs: The New One," a long-awaited sequel to Mel Brooks's legendary space comedy.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
The Book was proving far more stubborn than Artemis had anticipated.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
Analysts tracked by FactSet are anticipating Meta to report revenue of $60.2 billion and earnings per share of $7.19.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
“We’re anticipating those waves to kind of stay elevated through at least Tuesday.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
Analysts polled by The Wall Street Journal were anticipating the index would reach 50.5.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
A classic one - are you anticipating that doing this task is going to be very difficult, challenging or stressful?
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
As if anticipating my reaction, Haymitch is at my side.
From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins
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.
