Meaning & use

anticipate

verb·Everyday

To expect something and prepare for it, or to look forward to it with excitement.

See it in a sentence

Organizers anticipated a large crowd and hired extra staff for the festival.

The children eagerly anticipated their grandmother's visit for the entire week.

A note on using this word

Anticipate can mean simply to expect, or to act in advance of something; context usually makes the sense clear.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

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