adj
Common
anticipated
Anticipated (adj) means Expected to happen or arrive, often with excitement. Example: “The most anticipated film of the summer drew huge crowds on opening night.”
adj
1
Expected to happen or arrive, often with excitement.
"The most anticipated film of the summer drew huge crowds on opening night."
"Fans queued overnight to buy the long anticipated album."
"The long-anticipated sequel finally hits cinemas next month."
How to use anticipated
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLooked forward to, or expected in advance.
Common pairings
highly anticipated
eagerly anticipated
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more anticipated
- Superlative
- most anticipated
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The most _____ film of the summer drew huge crowds on opening night.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for anticipated
See all rhymes for anticipated →Frequently asked questions
What does “anticipated” mean?
The word “anticipated” means expected to happen or arrive, often with excitement. In plain terms, looked forward to, or expected in advance.
How do you use “anticipated” in a sentence?
Here is “anticipated” used in a sentence: “The long-anticipated sequel finally hits cinemas next month.”
What part of speech is “anticipated”?
“Anticipated” is an adjective.
Is “anticipated” a common word?
“Anticipated” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between anticipated and expected?
Both describe something people believe will happen, but anticipated often adds a note of eagerness or excitement, while expected is neutral. A "highly anticipated film" is one people are excited to see; an "expected delay" is simply predicted.
Is it "much-anticipated" or "much anticipated"?
Hyphenate it when it comes before a noun — "the much-anticipated sequel" — and leave it open after a verb: "the sequel was much anticipated." This follows the general rule for compound modifiers in English.
What is the opposite of anticipated?
Unanticipated and unexpected are the direct opposites, describing things that happen without being foreseen. Where an anticipated event finds people prepared or excited, an unanticipated one takes them by surprise.
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