1
as in eager
having or showing signs of eagerly awaiting something
expectant crowds gathered at the spot where the President was scheduled to make an appearance
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pregnant
containing unborn young within the body
a medication that should not be taken by expectant women without permission from their doctors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in candidate
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award
divinity students who were all expectants for a curacy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of expectant
Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 4 May 2026
While sustaining the ruse for months, Ale arranged with an expectant young mother who didn’t want her child to take that woman’s newborn as her own.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026
Michael D. Snediker, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2025
In the end, this expectant father learned a valuable — and slightly embarrassing — lesson: sometimes, the best thing to say during a poignant moment is nothing at all.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for expectant
Adjective
Seeing the gap firsthand Motivated by Elise’s experience, her husband, Alex Adams, wanted to give expectant parents more reliable insight into a baby’s heartbeat between scheduled checkups.
—Roni Robbins, AJC.com, 4 May 2026
While sustaining the ruse for months, Ale arranged with an expectant young mother who didn’t want her child to take that woman’s newborn as her own.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
Meniscus augur & hour of errors as the mercury rag spills its rings
from his last good pore, his teeth shaped in greenhouse suet or little
expectant pots of orchid balm in snow.
—Michael D. Snediker, The Atlantic, 10 Aug. 2025
In the end, this expectant father learned a valuable — and slightly embarrassing — lesson: sometimes, the best thing to say during a poignant moment is nothing at all.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for expectant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expectant
Adjective
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As pressure mounts to identify the gunman, opportunists emerge from every corner, eager to exploit the chaos and dismantle the empire Madam fought to build.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
-
The German club are unable to activate the clause in the original contract, believed to be worth around €20m, but are seeking a renegotiation, with the Portuguese midfielder eager to stay.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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Most adults including pregnant people either have no symptoms or experience mild, flu-like illness such as fever, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, and muscle or joint aches.—
Dr. Megan Yanny,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
-
Women had the option of choosing who to be with, and not to accidentally get pregnant with the wrong guy.—
Lesley Stahl,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
On the night of the primary election, holding hands with Montag, the mayoral candidate posed in glossy paparazzi-style photos.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
-
But for a Cy Young candidate who, as part of a six-man rotation, won’t pitch in as many games as his competition, efficiency matters.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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At a celebratory exhibition match last week in the capital, under the watchful eye of the supreme leader, Naegohyang faced off against the under-17s team, who just added an Asian Cup to their impressive array of silverware, trouncing Japan 5-1 in the final.—
Andrew McNicol,
CNN Money,
7 June 2026
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Eaton Canyon, at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, has been closed to the public since the 2025 Eaton Fire, and regrowth is beginning to emerge, with watchful eyes monitoring its progress.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
As the Canucks wine and dine top-five hopefuls and interview dozens more prospects during the day at the Buffalo Marriott, the combine is only just getting into full swing.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
On the Democratic side, hopefuls are Magali Sanchez-Hall, an environmental justice advocate; Fatima Iqbal-Zubair, an advocacy nonprofit manager; Lamar Lyons, Neighborhood Council president; Vinson Eugene Allen, a doctor; and Ayanna Davis, an educator and school board trustee.—
Ryan Carter,
Daily News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The first memorandum approval was enthusiastic.—
Nicolas Villamil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
-
Petro cited this statement at a public rally to enthusiastic applause.—
Roberto Andrés,
The Dial,
28 May 2026
Noun
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In our view, the agency should employ enough people to handle all applications and appeals in a timely and accurate manner while protecting the data privacy and accessibility for all applicants – including those from immigrant families.—
Katie Savin,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
-
Keller believes those broader economic realities reinforce the importance of maintaining clear and predictable immigration guidance for applicants and employers alike.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Strategic foresight and anticipatory risk were at the top.—
Christine Lentz,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
Being middle class comes with a fear of losing a specific sense of safety; the existential quest is finding out if there’s more to life than clutching onto your stuff in anticipatory panic.—
Francesco Pacifico,
The Dial,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expectant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expectant. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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