anticipation

noun

an·​tic·​i·​pa·​tion (ˌ)an-ˌti-sə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce anticipation (audio)
Synonyms of anticipationnext
1
a
: a prior action that takes into account or forestalls a later action
hired more security guards in anticipation of a large crowd
b
: the act of looking forward
especially : pleasurable expectation
looked forward with anticipation to their arrival
2
: the use of money before it is available
3
a
: visualization of a future event or state
b
: an object or form that anticipates a later type
4
: the early sounding of one or more tones of a succeeding chord to form a temporary dissonance compare suspension

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for anticipation

prospect, outlook, anticipation, foretaste mean an advance realization of something to come.

prospect implies expectation of a particular event, condition, or development of definite interest or concern.

the prospect of a quiet weekend

outlook suggests a forecasting of the future.

a favorable outlook for the economy

anticipation implies a prospect or outlook that involves advance suffering or enjoyment of what is foreseen.

the anticipation of her arrival

foretaste implies an actual though brief or partial experience of something forthcoming.

the frost was a foretaste of winter

Examples of anticipation in a Sentence

She had a feeling of great anticipation before her graduation ceremony. He looked forward to the party with anticipation.
Recent Examples on the Web Little wonder that Coppola’s next project was awaited with eager anticipation by most and, because this is after all Hollywood, knives out by a few. —Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Apr. 2024 After months of feverish anticipation, the superstar delivered her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, on Friday—and Swifities everywhere are losing their minds. —Angela Haupt, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024 That sense of anticipation and excitement gradually filled the building, creating a raucous atmosphere inside the arena. —Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 17 Apr. 2024 By Saturday, as anticipation had grown over a possible retaliation, Israeli officials warned residents living in communities near Gaza and the Lebanon border to limit the size of gatherings and to work indoors or within reach of a shelter. —Becky Sullivan, NPR, 13 Apr. 2024 The anticipation was palpable from the multigenerational diehard audience, which ranged from fans who’d seen the band on its first North American tour in 1991 to first-timers. —Lily Moayeri, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024 As eclipse anticipation builds, individuals are really wracking their brains to contemplate the significance and possible effects of this celestial phenomenon. —The Arizona Republic, 7 Apr. 2024 Apart from the weeks and months of anticipation leading up to the eclipse, the longest phase of the event is the partial eclipse, as the moon slowly moves over the sun. —Ashley Strickland, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024 Here's everything to know From the timing, the path of totality, all things eclipse glasses (real and fake), the weather, how to livestream, and much more Start Slideshow After months of anticipation, a rare total solar eclipse will finally sweep across the North American skies on Monday. —Quartz Staff, Quartz, 8 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anticipation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see anticipate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of anticipation was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing anticipation

Dictionary Entries Near anticipation

anticipated

anticipation

anticipative

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Anticipation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anticipation. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

anticipation

noun
an·​tic·​i·​pa·​tion (ˌ)an-ˌtis-ə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce anticipation (audio)
1
: an earlier action that takes into account and deals with or prevents a later action
2
: pleasurable expectation
3
: the act of providing for an expected event or state
anticipatory
an-ˈtis-ə-pə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
adjective

Medical Definition

anticipation

noun
an·​tic·​i·​pa·​tion (ˌ)an-ˌtis-ə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce anticipation (audio)
1
: occurrence (as of a disease or symptom) before the normal or expected time
2
: mental attitude that influences a later response

Legal Definition

anticipation

noun
an·​ti·​ci·​pa·​tion an-ˌti-sə-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce anticipation (audio)
: the knowledge or use of an invention in the U.S. or the patenting or describing of the invention in a publication in the U.S. or a foreign country before the discovery by a patent applicant

Note: Case law has established that every claim or element of a claim has to be disclosed in the prior art in order for a patent application to be barred by anticipation. If an application is amended to consist of claims not disclosed in the prior art, invalidation by anticipation can be avoided.

More from Merriam-Webster on anticipation

Nglish: Translation of anticipation for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of anticipation for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about 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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Absent Letters That Are Heard Anyway

How to Use Accents and Diacritical Marks
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

The Words of the Week - Apr. 19

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

10 Words for Lesser-Known Games and Sports

Your Favorite Band is in the Dictionary
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game You can make only 12 words. Pick the best ones!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A crossword with a twist
winning words from the national spelling bee logo
Spelling Bee Quiz Can you outdo past winners of the National Spelli...