anticipated JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU

/ænˈtɪsɪpeɪtɪd/ · an·ti·ci·pated
verb
  1. To act before someone else, especially to prevent an action. She anticipated her opponent’s argument and prepared a counterpoint.
  2. To take up or introduce something prematurely. The director anticipated a subplot that was later cut from the film.
  3. To know of something before it happens; to expect. He anticipated a traffic jam and left the office early.
adjective
  1. Expected to arrive; scheduled. The anticipated train finally pulled into the station after a two‑hour delay.
Did you know? The legal doctrine of ‘anticipatory breach’ uses the verb’s sense of acting before the contracted event to determine when a contract is considered broken.
Written by Lexi Wordsworth, Dictionary Editor 0 lookups Added Jul 14, 2026