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Definition of expecting

expecting

/ɪkˈspɛk.tɪŋ/
ex · pect · ing
Adverb:expectingly
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expecting Lexical Profile

expecting Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Pregnant; awaiting the birth of a child.

Example

"The couple happily announced to their family that they are expecting in early autumn."

2

Showing or feeling anticipation that something is about to happen; expectant.

Example

"The children sat with expecting eyes as their grandmother opened the mysterious wooden box."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for expecting
Antonyms
View all antonyms for expecting

Word Nuance & Usage

When meaning 'pregnant', 'expecting' is used almost exclusively as a predicate adjective following a linking verb (e.g., 'She is expecting'), whereas 'expectant' is preferred in the attributive position before a noun (e.g., 'an expectant mother').

• Rhymes for expecting

• Nearby Words

expectantly
expectation
expectedly
expecting
expectingly
expedience
expedient

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed from the present participle of 'expect', which derives from the Latin 'exspectare', meaning 'to look out for' or 'await' (from 'ex-', meaning 'thoroughly', and 'spectare', meaning 'to look'). Its polite euphemistic use meaning 'pregnant' became widespread in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Cite this Entry

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