An expectation is a belief about what might happen in the future, like your expectation to stay close with your best friends your whole life. The word expectation comes from the Latin word expectationem, …

EXPECTATION definition: 1. the feeling that good things are going to happen in the future: 2. the feeling of expecting…. Learn more.

n. 1. a. The act of expecting. b. Eager anticipation: eyes shining with expectation. 2. The state of being expected. 3. a. Something expected: a result that did not live up to expectations.

There are 12 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun expectation, four of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

ex•pec•ta•tion (ek′spek tā′ shən), n. the act or the state of expecting: to wait in expectation. the act or state of looking forward or anticipating. an expectant mental attitude: a high pitch of expectation. …

Expectation definition: The state of being expected.

May 25, 2026 · The meaning of EXPECTATION is the act or state of expecting : anticipation. How to use expectation in a sentence.

Expectation refers to a belief or anticipation regarding an outcome or an event in the future. It is typically based on past experiences, knowledge, or assumptions and involves predicting or foreseeing what is …

Your expectations are your strong hopes or beliefs that something will happen or that you will get something that you want. Their hope, and their expectation, was that she was going to be found safe …

To have every expectation of something is to feel very sure that it will happen. We're living in a time of diminished/rising expectations.