expectant 1 of 2

adjective

ik-ˈspek-tənt How to pronounce expectant (audio)
Definition of expectantnext
1
as in eager
having or showing signs of eagerly awaiting something expectant crowds gathered at the spot where the President was scheduled to make an appearance

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pregnant
containing unborn young within the body a medication that should not be taken by expectant women without permission from their doctors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

expectant

2 of 2

noun

as in candidate
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award divinity students who were all expectants for a curacy

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of expectant
Adjective
When it was discovered that estrogen could be supplied not just by expectant women but by expectant horses, commercial production of the hormone took off. — Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025 As a result, it has been reported that about 65% of expectant moms use acetaminophen as needed. — Michael Franco, New Atlas, 1 Mar. 2025
Noun
However, investigators learned there was someone who was not as enthused – the expectant father of the baby, 33-year-old Matthew Plote, who was a firefighter-paramedic. — Emily Wichick Hourihane, CBS News, 29 Nov. 2024 Of the 880 pregnant Milwaukee mothers who applied earlier this year for a first-of-its-kind, pilot program to provide funding to pregnant mothers who earn less than $39,000 a year, Botello and Powless were among the 100 expectant moms picked through a lottery. — Jessica Van Egeren, Journal Sentinel, 7 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for expectant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expectant
  1. eager
  2. pregnant
  3. candidate
  4. watchful
  5. hopeful
  6. enthusiastic
  7. applicant
  8. anticipatory
Adjective
  • The fictional couple’s dynamic was one of the most compelling elements of the original series, and fans will be eager to see how their story unfolds in the new chapter.
    — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 18 Mar. 2025
  • The test kitchen concept is one that Milo's is eager to share with the community and their biggest fans.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of eager
Adjective
  • The retired soccer star, 35, who is pregnant with her second baby, has partnered with Babylist to design her baby boy's nursery.
    — Hannah Sacks, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025
  • In the second instance, last February, a man was told his grandson had hurt a pregnant woman in a crash and the baby had died.
    — Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of pregnant
Noun
  • The mean number of external letters per candidate was 6.25.
    — Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Just whittling down a potential pool of hundreds of jury candidates is expected to last as many as three days at the end of April, the judge said, before the final panel undergoes voir dire questioning, scheduled to begin the first few days of May.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of candidate
Adjective
  • The video shows a serious Red, focused on flipping the patties under the watchful eye of Hussle’s brother, Blacc Sam. While Sexyy Red flips the burgers, another member of the kitchen staff covers them with cheese.
    — DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Oh, God, protect my daughter with your watchful eye that never sleeps.
    — Mirna Alrached, NPR, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of watchful
Noun
  • Eventually the internet provided a community, in the shape of like-minded teenage hopefuls producing music for SoundCloud.
    — Sam Davies, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Demand was instant and overwhelming, with tens of thousands of hopefuls registering for a chance to buy one.
    — Roberta Naas, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of hopeful
Adjective
  • Like Lynch, Coulson was an enthusiastic practitioner of transcendental meditation, which Green was also persuaded to try.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Then the good fortunes of an enthusiastic screening at France's Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June of 2024 landed the project a theatrical distribution partner in the indie firm, Ketchup Entertainment.
    — Jeff Spry, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of enthusiastic
Noun
  • She was selected to play Maria from over 30,000 applicants and won a Golden Globe for her performance in the beloved musical.
    — Randall Colburn, EW.com, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Having a nonlinear career track supports leaders being more open to a wider pool of job applicants, recognizing that talent can come from a variety of sources.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of applicant
Adjective
  • Mental Health Counseling For many caregivers, the emotional burden of watching a parent decline, navigating complex family dynamics, or processing anticipatory grief can be overwhelming.
    — Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
  • This level of transparency helps candidates engage in anticipatory socialization, essentially seeing themselves in a future role before even applying.
    — Phil Kirschner, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Definition of anticipatory

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Cite this Entry

“Expectant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expectant. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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