anticipate
verb
an·tic·i·pate an-ˈti-sə-ˌpāt 
anticipated; anticipating
transitive verb
1
: to give advance thought, discussion, or treatment to
2
: to meet (an obligation) before a due date
3
: to foresee and deal with in advance : forestall
4
: to use or expend in advance of actual possession
5
: to act before (another) often so as to check or counter
6
: to look forward to as certain : expect
We don't anticipate any problems during the construction.
intransitive verb
: to speak or write in knowledge or expectation of later matter
anticipatable
an-ˈti-sə-ˌpā-tə-bəl
adjective anticipator
an-ˈti-sə-ˌpā-tər
noun 
Synonyms
- await
- expect
- hope (for)
- watch (for)
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The cost turned out to be higher than anticipated. The author anticipated objections to his theory. The organizers of the fair anticipate a large crowd. I did not anticipate having to pay for your ticket. He eagerly anticipated her arrival.
Recent Examples on the Web What the Sox did not anticipate, however, was the need for so many of their depth starters to contribute in the rotation at the same time. 
Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2022 The number of tags available for purchase is unlimited, so officials do not anticipate the program will alleviate any congestion, the site says. Moira Ritter, ajc, 22 Aug. 2022 What Winget did not anticipate was that Chase would come up with an alternative remedy in the form of an unjust enrichment claim, which are commonly used in post-judgment enforcement proceedings, to divest him of the assets. Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 11 July 2022 Hahn said the Sox don’t anticipate having him back for the weekend series against the Astros in Houston. Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2022 Spirit is the latest airline to throttle back its plans ahead of what airlines anticipate will be a frenzied summer. Alison Sider, WSJ, 19 Apr. 2022 Some criticized the new state guidelines for failing to anticipate COVID surges and ignoring the needs of students who are immunocompromised or have other conditions that put them at high risk of severe disease. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Aug. 2022 But the approach will likely weigh on markets, as investors anticipate poor business performance amid the economic slowdown, Silverblatt said. Max Zahn, ABC News, 7 July 2022 Kittelsen’s striking ink drawings are variously haunting and raucous, combining wit and menace in such a way as to anticipate the work of later illustrators, such as Edward Gorey, Maurice Sendak and Jeffrey Alan Love. WSJ, 17 June 2022 See More
Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2022 The number of tags available for purchase is unlimited, so officials do not anticipate the program will alleviate any congestion, the site says. Moira Ritter, ajc, 22 Aug. 2022 What Winget did not anticipate was that Chase would come up with an alternative remedy in the form of an unjust enrichment claim, which are commonly used in post-judgment enforcement proceedings, to divest him of the assets. Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 11 July 2022 Hahn said the Sox don’t anticipate having him back for the weekend series against the Astros in Houston. Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2022 Spirit is the latest airline to throttle back its plans ahead of what airlines anticipate will be a frenzied summer. Alison Sider, WSJ, 19 Apr. 2022 Some criticized the new state guidelines for failing to anticipate COVID surges and ignoring the needs of students who are immunocompromised or have other conditions that put them at high risk of severe disease. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 15 Aug. 2022 But the approach will likely weigh on markets, as investors anticipate poor business performance amid the economic slowdown, Silverblatt said. Max Zahn, ABC News, 7 July 2022 Kittelsen’s striking ink drawings are variously haunting and raucous, combining wit and menace in such a way as to anticipate the work of later illustrators, such as Edward Gorey, Maurice Sendak and Jeffrey Alan Love. WSJ, 17 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin anticipatus, past participle of anticipare, from ante- + -cipare (from capere to take) — more at heave entry 1
First Known Use
1532, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Kids Definition
anticipate
verb
an·tic·i·pate an-ˈti-sə-ˌpāt
anticipated; anticipating
1
: to foresee and deal with or provide for beforehand
The waiters anticipate your every wish.
2
: to look forward to
… now everyone anticipated the celebration. Pam Muñoz Ryan, Esperanza Rising
Pam Muñoz Ryan, Esperanza Rising Medical Definition
anticipate
verb
an·tic·i·pate an-ˈtis-ə-ˌpāt
anticipated; anticipating
transitive verb
: to give advance thought to
intransitive verb
: to come before the expected time —used especially of medical symptoms
Legal Definition
anticipate
transitive verb
an·tic·i·pate an-ˈti-sə-ˌpāt
anticipated; anticipating
1
: to bar or invalidate (a patent) by anticipation
the patent on the compound had been anticipated by the Beilstein reference Misani v. Ortho Pharm. Corp., 210 A.2d 609 (1965)
Misani v. Ortho Pharm. Corp., 210 A.2d 609 (1965)2
: to negate the novelty of (an invention) by its appearance in prior art
appeared to have anticipated a variable light makeup mirror Wilson v. Bristol-Myers Co., 503 N.Y.S.2d 334 (1986)
Wilson v. Bristol-Myers Co., 503 N.Y.S.2d 334 (1986)anticipate
verb
1
as in to expect
to believe in the future occurrence of (something) I anticipate that we'll be seeing you for New Year's Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- expect
- await
- predict
- foresee
- envision
- envisage
- look for
- view
- foretell
- watch (for)
- look forward to
- hope (for)
- contemplate
- presume
- assume
- presuppose
- bank on
- prophesy
- rely (on or upon)
- eye
- wait (for)
- depend (on or upon)
- count (on or upon)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- question
- doubt
2
as in to foresee
to realize or know about beforehand I anticipated this unhelpful response Synonyms & Similar Words
- foresee
- predict
- envision
- fear
- divine
- prevision
- foreknow
- forecast
- envisage
- foretell
- presage
- visualize
- perceive
- prognosticate
- foreshadow
- discern
- forefeel
- alert
- forewarn
- prophesy
- prefigure
- apprehend
- caution
- dread
- preview
- augur
- foretoken
- descry
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of anticipate are divine, foreknow, and foresee. While all these words mean "to know beforehand," anticipate implies taking action about or responding emotionally to something before it happens.
the waiter anticipated our every need
Divine adds to foresee the suggestion of exceptional wisdom or discernment.
was able to divine Europe's rapid recovery from the war
Although the words foreknow and anticipate have much in common, foreknow usually implies supernatural assistance, as through revelation.
if only we could foreknow our own destinies
The synonyms foresee and anticipate are sometimes interchangeable, but foresee implies nothing about how the knowledge is derived and may apply to ordinary reasoning and experience.
economists should have foreseen the recession