anticipatory

[ an-tis-uh-puh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]

adjective

1. of, showing, or expressing anticipation.

Other Words From

• an·tici·pa·tori·ly adverb
• nonan·tici·pa·tori·ly adverb
• nonan·tici·pa·tory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of anticipatory¹

First recorded in 1660–70; anticipate + -ory ¹

Example Sentences

Still, some of the recent job cuts and hiring freezes are unusual because they are anticipatory, rather than a reflection of companies that are already struggling.

From Time

The likelihood of anticipatory trauma can be high even if the risk of injury and death is low.

From FiveThirtyEight

Any further delay in concerted anticipatory global action on adaptation and mitigation will miss a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all.

From Washington Post

People are making big anticipatory plans, and this trend will only continue as more and more people get access to the vaccine and states continue to open up.

From Digiday

During the lead-up to the appointment, you may experience what Bidwell Smith calls “anticipatory grief.”

From Washington Post

An anticipatory hush settled over the Columbia auditorium, bulbs flashing and cameras clicking.

From The Daily Beast

After weeks of anticipatory gloom, liberals can exhale and smile.

From The Daily Beast

I suffered years of anticipatory grief, mostly in isolation.

From The Daily Beast

The future is quite enough hampered with the past, without setting anticipatory traps and springes for unwary feet.

From Project Gutenberg

Yet I should be overdoing this (purely anticipatory) prudence to pass over the episode of the sky-blue uniform entirely.

From Project Gutenberg

They had discarded their shields, but were handling assegais in a manner that was highly anticipatory.

From Project Gutenberg

He was evidently bursting with the anticipatory pride of telling me something very much to his credit.

From Project Gutenberg

For it is at most anticipatory elements of the idea of humanity that are embodied in the world empire.

From Project Gutenberg