expect

[ik-spekt]

verb (used with object)

1. 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.

2. to look for with reason or justification.

   We expect obedience.

3. Informal.,  to suppose or surmise; guess.

   I expect that you are tired from the trip.

4. to anticipate the birth of (one's child).

   Paul and Sylvia expect their second very soon.

expect

/ ɪkˈspɛkt /

verb

1. to regard as probable or likely; anticipate

   he expects to win

2. to look forward to or be waiting for

   we expect good news today

3. 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

• expectable adjective
• expectably adverb
• expectedly adverb
• expectedness noun
• expecter noun
• expectingly adverb
• overexpect verb
• preexpect verb (used with object)
• unexpectable adjective
• unexpectably adverb
• unexpecting adjective
• unexpectingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of expect¹

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; spectacle

Word History and Origins

Origin of expect¹

C16: from Latin exspectāre to watch for, from spectāre to look at

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. be expecting, to be pregnant.

   The cat is expecting again.

see when least expected.

Example Sentences

While Riley says he is not against one day returning to California, he doesn’t expect to find the need.

From Los Angeles Times

CVS said it expects to offer COVID-19 vaccines without prescriptions at its pharmacies in New Mexico, Nevada, New York and Pennsylvania “soon,” due to recent regulatory changes in each state.

From Los Angeles Times

The organisers, who are demanding an end to UK arms sales to Israel, said they expected thousands of people to take part.

From BBC

The plan has said it expects to pay some $4 billion in claims.

From Los Angeles Times

“So I expect our guys to respond to that.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• await 
• forecast 
• foresee 
• hope 
• predict 
• suppose 
• take 
• think 

When To Use

What are other ways to say expect?

To expect something is to look forward to it or to regard it as likely to happen. How is expect different from anticipate, hope, and await? Learn more on Thesaurus.com.