anticipation
B2Formal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
the act of looking forward to something, expecting it, or preparing for it before it happens
A feeling of excitement or pleasure about something expected; the act of using, considering, or expecting something before its proper time
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can denote both emotional expectation (excitement) and pragmatic preparation (taking action in advance). Often implies positive expectation, but can be neutral or anxious depending on context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Both variants use the word identically.
Connotations
Slightly more formal in American English; equally common in both varieties.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both corpora (BNC and COCA).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
in anticipation of + noun phrasewith + adjective + anticipationanticipation that + clauseVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “wait with bated breath”
- “on tenterhooks”
- “in the pipeline”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in planning contexts: 'budgetary anticipation', 'anticipation of market trends'
Academic
Common in psychology and literature: 'anticipatory anxiety', 'narrative anticipation'
Everyday
General expectation: 'The children were filled with anticipation before the holiday.'
Technical
In computing: 'anticipation algorithms' in predictive systems
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We anticipate receiving the documents tomorrow.
- The team anticipated problems and prepared accordingly.
American English
- We anticipate the software launch next quarter.
- She anticipated his question and had an answer ready.
adverb
British English
- He smiled anticipatorily as the gift was unwrapped.
- She waited anticipatorily for the results.
American English
- The crowd leaned forward anticipatorily.
- He rubbed his hands together anticipatorily.
adjective
British English
- The anticipatory planning saved us time.
- She had an anticipatory gleam in her eyes.
American English
- His anticipatory anxiety was noticeable.
- They made anticipatory adjustments to the budget.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children waited with anticipation for their presents.
- There is great anticipation for the school trip.
- We bought extra food in anticipation of guests arriving.
- Her anticipation grew as the concert date approached.
- The government issued warnings in anticipation of severe weather.
- A palpable sense of anticipation filled the stadium before the final.
- The artist's work creates a tension between anticipation and revelation.
- Strategic anticipation of competitors' moves is crucial in business.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
ANTICIPATION = ANTI (before) + CIPARE (to take) = to take before it happens
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS SPACE (looking forward to something), EMOTION IS A CONTAINER (filled with anticipation)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'anticipaciya' (financial term for early payment)
- Avoid direct translation as 'predvkushenie' in formal contexts
Common Mistakes
- Mispelling as 'anticiaption' or 'anticpation'
- Using 'anticipation for' instead of 'anticipation of'
Practice
Quiz
Which preposition most commonly follows 'anticipation'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while often positive (eager anticipation), it can be neutral or negative (anxious anticipation).
Anticipation has a stronger emotional component (excitement/anxiety), while expectation is more cognitive and neutral.
No, 'anticipation' is only a noun. The verb form is 'anticipate'.
No, the standard prepositional phrase is 'in anticipation of' something.
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