What does anticipating mean?
Anticipating is the present participle of the verb anticipate, meaning to expect something to happen and often to prepare for it or look forward to it in advance. It captures a distinctly forward-looking mental stance: the manager anticipating supply shortages orders extra stock early, while the child anticipating a birthday counts down the days with excitement. The word spans both practical foresight — anticipating risks, costs, or objections — and emotional expectation, where it shades into eager waiting. Derived from Latin anticipare, 'to take care of beforehand', it has long carried the idea of acting ahead of time; indeed, in its earliest English use it could imply pre-empting someone, even rudely seizing an advantage before one's turn. Today it is standard in both British and American English, common in business, planning, and everyday conversation alike. Writers are sometimes advised to reserve it for genuine foresight rather than mere expectation, but its flexibility makes it one of the most useful verbs for describing how we meet the future before it arrives.
verbPresent participle of anticipate: to expect, foresee, or look forward to something that is going to happen, and often to prepare for or act in advance of it.
- To regard as likely and prepare for or deal with in advance (e.g. anticipating difficulties).
- To look forward to or eagerly await something expected to happen.
- To predict or foresee what will happen or what someone will do.
"She was anticipating the results of the election with a mixture of hope and dread."
"The company is anticipating strong demand for its new product this holiday season."
"He spent the whole train ride anticipating the moment he would finally see her again."
The word 'anticipate' once carried a whiff of bad manners — in the 16th century, to 'anticipate' someone meant to act before your turn, even to pre-empt another's argument before they could make it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of anticipating
Anticipating derives from Latin anticipare, formed from ante ('before') and capere ('to take'), literally meaning 'to take beforehand'. The word entered English via Latin-derived forms in the mid-16th century, initially carrying the sense of pre-empting or acting ahead of others, sometimes with a negative connotation of presumption. Over time it developed its modern senses of foreseeing, expecting, and preparing for future events. It shares its root with anticipation and anticipatory, and is related to words from the same Latin verb capere, such as capture and capable.
Related word forms
How anticipating is actually used
Used almost exclusively as the progressive form of the verb 'anticipate'. In formal business writing, 'anticipating' often signals proactive planning; in everyday speech it frequently carries an emotional tone of excitement or eagerness. Some style guides caution against using 'anticipate' where simple 'expect' is meant, reserving it for cases involving preparation or foresight.
Easily confused with anticipating
Expecting is a more neutral belief that something will happen, while anticipating often implies preparing for it or looking forward to it with emotion.