as in expectation
the act or state of looking forward to some occurrence in anticipation of a job offer, she had already begun looking for an apartment in the city where the company was based

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun anticipation differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of anticipation are foretaste, outlook, and prospect. While all these words mean "an advance realization of something to come," anticipation implies a prospect or outlook that involves advance suffering or enjoyment of what is foreseen.

the anticipation of her arrival

When is it sensible to use foretaste instead of anticipation?

While the synonyms foretaste and anticipation are close in meaning, foretaste implies an actual though brief or partial experience of something forthcoming.

the frost was a foretaste of winter

In what contexts can outlook take the place of anticipation?

In some situations, the words outlook and anticipation are roughly equivalent. However, outlook suggests a forecasting of the future.

a favorable outlook for the economy

When could prospect be used to replace anticipation?

Although the words prospect and anticipation have much in common, prospect implies expectation of a particular event, condition, or development of definite interest or concern.

the prospect of a quiet weekend

Examples 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 anticipation The holiday is time of time off, festive actives and anticipation. Tribune Content Agency, The Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2024 There is research to suggest that a portion of the brain connected to vision plays an important role in regulating how much risk people seek, quite possibly by impacting dopamine flows in regions of the brain associated with anticipation. Hersh Shefrin, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024 This is a five-parter out of Eastern Europe that has got Netflix’s top brass swimming with anticipation. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 28 Dec. 2024 The day after Christmas is filled with tradition, anticipation and hope. John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for anticipation 

Thesaurus Entries Near anticipation

Cite this Entry

“Anticipation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anticipation. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on anticipation

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!