# expectation

/ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃən/ (US) · /ɛkspɪktˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/expectation
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. anticipation

noun · CEFR B1

the feeling or state of waiting for something to happen.

For teachers: the act or state of looking forward to an event as imminent or certain.

- There is a general expectation that the weather will improve by the weekend.
- The atmosphere in the stadium was thick with expectation as the fans waited for the championship match to begin.

### 2. standards or hopes

noun · CEFR B2

a strong belief about how someone should behave or what they should achieve.

For teachers: a standard of conduct or performance expected by others.

- My parents have high expectations for my final exam results.
- The new CEO struggled to meet the unrealistic expectations of the board members during her first quarter.

### 3. average value

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the average result you would get if you repeated an experiment many times.

For teachers: the long-run average value of a random variable over many independent repetitions of an experiment.

- In this game of chance, the mathematical expectation is that you will lose money over time.
- The researcher calculated the mathematical expectation of the variable to determine the most likely outcome of the clinical trial.

### 4. natural healing

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Archaic

waiting for a disease to get better on its own without using strong medicine.

For teachers: the practice of leaving a disease to the natural healing efforts of the body rather than intervening with active treatment.

- The doctor suggested a period of expectation to see if the cough cleared up naturally.
- In historical medical texts, 'expectation' refers to a conservative approach where the physician monitors the patient without administering drugs.

## Examples

- The movie did not meet my expectation.
- The manager set a high expectation for the team's performance during the busy summer season.
- Societal expectations regarding career paths have shifted significantly over the last decade, allowing for more non-traditional trajectories that prioritize personal fulfillment over linear progression.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.