expect
Americanverb (used with object)
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to look forward to; regard as likely to happen; anticipate the occurrence or the coming of.
I expect to read it. I expect him later. She expects that they will come.
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to look for with reason or justification.
We expect obedience.
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Informal. to suppose or surmise; guess.
I expect that you are tired from the trip.
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to anticipate the birth of (one's child).
Paul and Sylvia expect their second very soon.
idioms
verb
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to regard as probable or likely; anticipate
he expects to win
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to look forward to or be waiting for
we expect good news today
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to decide that (something) is requisite or necessary; require
the boss expects us to work late today
Usage
This sense of expect ( I expect you went with them. I expect you want to leave now. ) is encountered in the speech of educated people but seldom in their writing.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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expectednessnoun
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expecternoun
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overexpectverb
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preexpectverb (used with object)
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expectableadjective
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unexpectableadjective
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unexpectingadjective
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expectablyadverb
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expectedlyadverb
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expectinglyadverb
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unexpectablyadverb
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unexpectinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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expectsimple
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expectssimple
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have expectedperfect
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has expectedperfect
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am expectingprogressive
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are expectingprogressive
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is expectingprogressive
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have been expectingperfect progressive
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has been expectingperfect progressive
Past
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expectedsimple
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had expectedperfect
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was expectingprogressive
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were expectingprogressive
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had been expectingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of expect
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin ex(s)pectāre “to look out for, await,” equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + spectāre “to look at,” frequentative of specere; see spectacle
Explanation
If you expect something, you think it’s going to happen. If you got up at 4 in the morning, you can expect to fall asleep earlier than usual tonight. If you expect (or anticipate) something, you are fairly sure that it is coming, though you might not be totally certain. You might expect to graduate from a certificate program on time, barring unforeseen events that prevent you from going to class. If you say, simply, “I’m expecting,” people will assume you’re pregnant. Someone disappointed in you might shake his head and say, "I expected more from you."
Vocabulary lists containing expect
"Eleven"
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List 5
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Think
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"We continue to expect our capex to increase significantly in 2027, and will provide more details at a later date."
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
When investors expect those rates to go up, the relative appeal of Treasurys diminishes—causing their prices to fall, and their yields rise to a competitive level again.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
What that means to Turnquist is that chip investors can continue to expect a lot of turbulence for the SMH ETF in the short term.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
When he comes upon Irontown, led by the highborn Lady Eboshi, and listens to its people brag about burning down the boar god’s forest, one might expect him to be angry.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
“Good. I must leave. We can’t be seen exiting together. Wait here for ten minutes. I expect you back at the Park this evening. We have work to do.”
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at a regional Asian summit on Wednesday that he expects a "very positive" visit from Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States in September.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
The carrier said it now expects full-year adjusted earnings per share of $3.25 to $4.25, compared with its forecast from January for at least $4.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
He expects Arco itself eventually to be sold.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja said Tesla expects that operating expenses driven by research and development will "continue to grow in 2026 and beyond."
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
He expects her to blink at any moment, but she does not.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Specialist officers have been drafted in from other units to bolster the anti-corruption unit, including from the major incident team, and the inquiry is expected to take many months.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Alphabet's spending on AI is now expected to hit as much as $205bn this year, an increase from $190bn, as major tech companies race to build around a new wave of the technology.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
One reason for that disconnect: Before the U.S.-Iran war, many investors had expected the Fed to lower interest rates this year to ensure the economy didn’t slip into a recession.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
The deal, which would last 30 years and involve American firms developing the program, is expected to be submitted for review to Congress.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Unlike Handsome, for example, who was relaxed in both musk ox and non–musk ox interactions, C.C. could never quite grasp what was expected.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
Hilton said he’s not expecting Trump to campaign on his behalf in California.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
"What they did was something that we were expecting, and waiting for, for a long time. And when that happened, things changed in my country," he told the BBC.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Forecasters aren’t expecting the heat to break any temperature records but said that some places, including Woodland Hills, Van Nuys and Palmdale, might come within a few degrees of setting new daily highs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Investors are also expecting the earnings report to shed light on a few recent rumors.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
I looked around, expecting there to be a big pile of explosives sitting somewhere, but all I saw was what looked like an aboveground pool about ten feet in front of us.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.