expectation

American  

[ek-spek-tey-shuhn] / ˌɛk spɛkˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

expectations plural

1. the act or the state of expecting.

   to wait in expectation.

2. the act or state of looking forward or anticipating.

   Synonyms:

   trust, hope, anticipation, expectancy

3. an expectant mental attitude.

   a high pitch of expectation.

4. something expected; a thing looked forward to.

5. Often expectations. a prospect of future good or profit.

   to have great expectations.

6. the degree of probability that something will occur.

   There is little expectation that he will come.

7. Mathematics, Statistics. mathematical expectation.

8. the state of being expected.

   a large sum of money in expectation.

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expectation British  

/ ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃən, ɪkˈspɛktətɪv /

noun

1. the act or state of expecting or the state of being expected

2. (usually plural) something looked forward to, whether feared or hoped for

   we have great expectations for his future

   their worst expectations

3. an attitude of expectancy or hope; anticipation

   to regard something with expectation

4. statistics

   1. the numerical probability that an event will occur

   2. another term for expected value

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• expectationist
  noun
• overexpectation
  noun
• preexpectation
  noun
• superexpectation
  noun
• expectational
  adjective
• expectative
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• expectations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of expectation

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin ex(s)pectātiōn-, stem of ex(s)pectātiō “anticipation, suspense,” from ex(s)pectāt(us) (past participle of ex(s)pectāre “to look out for, await”) + -iō -ion; see expect

Explanation

An expectation is a belief about what might happen in the future, like your expectation to stay close with your best friends your whole life. The word expectation comes from the Latin word expectationem, meaning "an awaiting." If you have great expectations, you think something good will come your way, but if keep your expectations low, you won't risk being disappointed. Expectation can also describe something that is supposed to happen, like a teacher whose expectation is that everyone comes to class prepared.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

expectation expectations

“The expectation is that the market gets surprised by how much money this capex is actually generating within the next two quarters,” they said.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

Still, I believe that three other nations have almost an expectation to win the title, not us.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

South Korea entered the tournament with the expectation that its “golden generation” — led by Son — would reach the knockout stage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026

Strong cargo-growth trends support the expectation of robust cargo contribution in 1H for Cathay, the analysts add.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

“There was a strong expectation of his coming soon after the marriage, but it ended in nothing; and I have not heard him mentioned lately.”

From "Emma" by Jane Austen

More widely, Andy Burnham has not exactly managed expectations.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

Chinese markets outperformed as investors extended a recent rally on expectations Beijing will unveil further measures to support the economy after last week's economic data.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

That wasn’t enough to offset weak consumer expectations and a drop in building permits, Zabinska-La Monica said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

“The magnitude of revision in growth cluster earnings expectations is bordering on surreal,” they say.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

The expectations for music in a minor key are a little different than for music in a major key.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Related Words

• assumption
• chance
• confidence
• fear
• forecast
• hope
• intention
• likelihood
• notion
• outlook
• possibility
• prediction
• promise
• prospect
• trust
• view