expect

American

[ik-spekt] / ɪkˈspɛkt /

verb (used with object)

to look forward to; regard as likely to happen; anticipate the occurrence or the coming of.

I expect to read it. I expect him later. She expects that they will come.
to look for with reason or justification.

We expect obedience.
Informal. to suppose or surmise; guess.

I expect that you are tired from the trip.
to anticipate the birth of (one's child).

Paul and Sylvia expect their second very soon.

idioms

be expecting, to be pregnant.

The cat is expecting again.

expect British

/ ɪkˈspɛkt /

verb

to regard as probable or likely; anticipate

he expects to win
to look forward to or be waiting for

we expect good news today
to decide that (something) is requisite or necessary; require

the boss expects us to work late today

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

expect More Idioms

see when least expected.

Usage

This sense of expect ( I expect you went with them. I expect you want to leave now. ) is encountered in the speech of educated people but seldom in their writing.

Other Word Forms

expectable adjective
expectably adverb
expectedly adverb
expectedness noun
expecter noun
expectingly adverb
overexpect verb
preexpect verb (used with object)
unexpectable adjective
unexpectably adverb
unexpecting adjective
unexpectingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of expect

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin ex(s)pectāre “to look out for, await,” equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + spectāre “to look at,” frequentative of specere; spectacle

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.

It is set to be a busy year for Evans, with his new thriller series The Party also expected to air in 2026.

From BBC

But the split is perhaps not what you'd expect, with four shocks coming at home and four away.

From BBC

Network Rail said that while the station had avoided significant damage, it was expected to remain closed on Tuesday for safety inspections.

From BBC

El-Erian said he wasn’t expecting a recession this year, with higher gas prices pushing down GDP growth by only 0.5% this year.

From MarketWatch

“We expect manageable impact from settlement conditions relating to Ticketmaster and the supposed mandated disposition of at least 10 amphitheaters,” he wrote.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023