expect, hope, look mean to await some occurrence or outcome. expect implies a high degree of certainty and usually involves the idea of preparing or envisioning.

Expect, hope or wait? We use expect to say that we believe that something will happen. We use expect in the following main patterns: …

EXPECT definition: to look forward to; regard as likely to happen; anticipate the occurrence or the coming of. See examples of expect used in a sentence.

To expect is to look forward to the likely occurrence or appearance of someone or something: "We should not expect something for nothing—but we all do and call it Hope" (Edgar W. Howe).

Definition of expect verb in Oxford Advanced American Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Expect implies confidently believing, usually for good reasons, that an event will occur: to expect a visit from a friend. Anticipate is to look forward to an event and even to picture it: Do you anticipate trouble?

Jan 20, 2026 · expect (third-person singular simple present expects, present participle expecting, simple past and past participle expected) I expect to be able to walk again after getting over my broken leg. …