anticipating

verb

present participle of anticipate
1
as in expecting
to believe in the future occurrence of (something) I anticipate that we'll be seeing you for New Year's

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in foreseeing
to realize or know about beforehand I anticipated this unhelpful response

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of anticipating However, the two bodies are already anticipating an additional cost to taxpayers associated with both future elections, JCEB Democratic Director Sara Zorich said at a July 30 hearing for Perkins’ unsuccessful lawsuit to stop the vote. — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026 Among those anticipating a move, 60% cited lowering housing and maintenance costs as a reason. — Nia Bowers, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 Rock wants to pursue a career in music upon graduation and is already anticipating the next Train tour. — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026 Goodbye, Koi is a wise, comforting read for kids who are anticipating a new beginning of any kind. — Caroline Carlson, Literary Hub, 1 Sep. 2026 Only a freshman, the linebacker is fearless, tough and always anticipating. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026 In a Monday morning note, strategists at Barclays said their economists were now anticipating two 25-basis-point hikes this year, one in September and another in December. — Sean Conlon,chloe Taylor, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026 One humanoid robot managed to successfully play tennis against a human, anticipating unpredictable moves and showing an ability to adapt in a real-world setting. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 25 Aug. 2026 Doing a job little by little — or styling to-do list tasks that way — has been more effective than anticipating it with the all-or-nothing thinking that can make responsibilities feel daunting. — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anticipating
  1. expecting
  2. foreseeing
  3. awaiting
  4. predicting
Verb
  • From viral clip to real ceramics Przenioslo posted the video without expecting much.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • By the end of the 2025-26 season, Atletico’s board was expecting an offer to come from Barcelona.
    — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of expecting
Verb
  • Nate Davis does the honors again, foreseeing the winners of all 272 regular-season games to propose win-loss records for all 32 teams.
    — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Nevertheless, Patel remains optimistic, foreseeing a future where human creativity and critical thinking combine with AI's potential for endless possibilities.
    — Michael Ashley, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of foreseeing
Verb
  • The two companies provide staff for detention centers, beds to house them, and ankle monitors to surveil those out on bond awaiting their hearings.
    — Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Gamblers would bet on the fates of prisoners awaiting execution and of prominent people whose illnesses were reported on in the newspaper.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of awaiting
Verb
  • Malkovich’s turn as Chris, the eccentric and aging veteran, already has awards prognosticators predicting his return to the Oscars race.
    — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • However, weather forecasts predicting eight hours of dense fog repeatedly failed to match the conditions at the site.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of predicting

Browse Nearby Words

anticipates
anticipating
anticipation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Anticipating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anticipating. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All