Anticipation
What it means
A forward-looking feeling created by expecting something significant or enjoyable.
Reach for it when naming the hopeful energy that builds before an event
Anticipation spread through the hall as the curtain lights dimmed.
Words to choose between 6
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| warm |
|
| literary |
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playful
countdown feeling
Fits when informal language should capture mounting excitement
Careful This phrase assumes a known date and sounds contrived in formal prose.
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everyday
Fits when readiness and desire to begin are central
Careful Eagerness describes the person more than the atmosphere of waiting.
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everyday
expectation
Fits when neutral belief about what will happen is enough
Careful Expectation can feel flat or burdensome rather than exciting.
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warm
Fits when high positive energy matters more than future focus
Careful Excitement can respond to something happening now.
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warm
Fits when the desired outcome remains uncertain
Careful Hope can persist without any event being expected soon.
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literary
suspense
Fits when uncertainty creates tense attention
Careful Suspense may be anxious or frightening rather than hopeful.
Opposites 3
- dread
- indifference
- surprise
Common phrases 3
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build anticipation
A single drumbeat began to build anticipation before the parade.
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eager anticipation
The children watched in eager anticipation as the kiln opened.
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sense of anticipation
A sense of anticipation filled the newly restored station.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated