as in watchful
having or showing signs of eagerly awaiting something couldn't control his anticipatory excitement on Christmas morning

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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 anticipatory Lego Icons Flower Bouquet Building Set Pick up this Lego kit now and save it for Valentine’s Day, upcoming birthdays, or any anticipatory milestone celebrations. Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 25 Dec. 2024 Within five years, a new wave of smart hearing aids will be able to recognize stress, both current and anticipatory. IEEE Spectrum, 1 May 2019 My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out the anticipatory purr of two ambulance engines idling nearby. Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024 Mark Gladwin, the dean of the School of Medicine and who was not an author of the study, emphasized a need to leverage his institution’s capability to provide at-risk patients with anticipatory care. Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 13 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for anticipatory 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for anticipatory
Adjective
  • Cotton farming is a labor-intensive process, requiring workers to toil in the scorching sun for up to 10 hours a day under the watchful eyes of field supervisors.
    PhotoVogue, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2025
  • His subjects are usually men, but under the watchful eye of Ian, they are shown embodying both their masculine and feminine auras.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • This change to a new, ambitious project, one which carries the weight of an expectant fanbase, a nation’s sporting pride and the history of those who’ve come and succeeded before in Ferrari red is precisely what Hamilton needed.
    Luke Smith, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Breastfeeding Happy Hour support group: Hosted by the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program at the Florida Department of Health in Osceola County for expectant and new moms.
    Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The veteran morning host is ramping up his longform interviews with cultural figures like musicians, actors and directors, betting that there’s an eager audience.
    Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Jan. 2025
  • At least, that's the advice Pasqual Gutierrez, a successful director who's worked with everyone from the Weeknd to Madonna, imparts to an eager newbie in his directorial debut, Serious People.
    Mike Miller, EW.com, 29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Right-leaning publications, meanwhile, suggested that the enthusiastic attention paid to Sweeney’s breasts had everything to do with the shifting political climate.
    Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 25 Jan. 2025
  • For the past five seasons, the 2018 first-round draft pick has breathed new life into this franchise and its enthusiastic, table-crushing fanbase.
    Becky Sullivan, NPR, 25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • For example, someone not willing to open up to you about certain aspects of their personal life can be interpreted as personal rejection, which may trigger defensive or anxious behaviors.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2025
  • More than a few have faced foreclosure, leaving owners anxious about the need to get tenants back in their buildings or find another use for the millions of unused square feet.
    Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near anticipatory

Cite this Entry

“Anticipatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/anticipatory. Accessed 3 Feb. 2025.

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