anticipate
To expect or predict something and prepare for it accordingly.
Examples
In a meeting
“We anticipate a 20% increase in demand during the holiday season.”
Over coffee
“I anticipated the traffic and left an hour early.”
Why this word
expect
anticipate implies preparing for or taking action before something happens, while expect is passive
predict
anticipate includes responding to future events, while predict only forecasts them
foresee
anticipate suggests readiness and action, while foresee only means perceiving in advance
Usage tip
Stronger than 'expect' — anticipate implies you're also preparing, not just predicting. Shows proactive thinking.
Etymology
Latin anticipare — ante (before) + capere (to take), literally 'to take before'
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Related words
preempt
Take action to prevent something before it happens
proactive
Acting in advance to deal with expected situations
initiative
A new plan or action taken to achieve something
tentative
Not certain or fixed; provisional
sequence
To arrange things in a specific logical order
circle
To return to and discuss something again later