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Definition of expectation

expectation

/ˌɛks.pɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/
ex · pec · ta · tion
Plural:expectations
•
Adjective:expectational
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expectation Lexical Profile

expectation Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future.

Example

"The company expanded its staff in the expectation that sales would increase over the summer."

2

A belief that someone will or should achieve something, or a standard of conduct and performance required of a person.

Example

"The new coach set high expectations for every player on the team."

3

One's prospects of future success, advancement, or inheritance (usually used in the plural).

Example

"The young scholar graduated with great expectations for a distinguished career in medicine."

4

In probability theory and statistics, the weighted average value of a random variable over many independent repetitions of an experiment.

Example

"To evaluate the fairness of the game, the mathematician calculated the mathematical expectation of the dice roll."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for expectation

• Nearby Words

expectancy
expectant
expectantly
expectation
expectedly
expecting
expectingly

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-16th century from Latin exspectatio, meaning 'an awaiting' or 'looking out for', derived from the verb exspectare (from ex- 'thoroughly' + spectare 'to look').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Expectation. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/expectation
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