Anticipating

/ænˈtɪs.ɪ.pətɪŋ/

verbIntermediateVery CommonGeneral

Definitions

1

To look forward to or predict with confidence the occurrence or arrival of (an event or something a person will do).

/ænˈtɪs.ɪ.pətɪŋ/

verbneutralIntermediate
General

To look forward to an event or intention

We are anticipating a busy week ahead.

💡 Simply: Predicting or waiting for something to happen.

More Examples

2

He was anticipating the release of the new movie.

How It's Used

General

"She is anticipating her vacation this summer."

Business

"The company is anticipating a rise in profits."

Idioms & expressions

anticipate the worst

To expect the most unfavorable outcome.

"He always anticipates the worst, but things usually turn out just fine."

The word 'anticipating' comes from the Latin 'anticipare,' meaning 'to take beforehand,' which is derived from 'ante-' meaning 'before' and 'capere' meaning 'to take.' It has been in use in English since the 16th century.

In historical texts, 'anticipate' has been used to describe predictable outcomes of events, often in a neutral to optimistic tone.

Memory tip

Think of it as being 'before-seeing' something happen.

Base: anticipate
anticipiatingantecipatingantisipating

Usage

65%Spoken
55%Written