expectant

1 of 2

adjective

ex·​pec·​tant ik-ˈspek-tənt How to pronounce expectant (audio)
1
: characterized by expectation
2
: expecting the birth of a child
expectant mothers
expectantly adverb

expectant

2 of 2

noun

: one who is looking forward to something

Examples of expectant in a Sentence

Adjective An expectant crowd waited for her arrival. expectant crowds gathered at the spot where the President was scheduled to make an appearance Noun divinity students who were all expectants for a curacy
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Adlon knows how to walk that fine line between sweet and vulgar, which comes in handy here since Glazer and Rabinowitz’s script is determined to milk every ounce of humor out of every ounce of bodily fluid that may be spilled, squirted or secreted by expectant moms. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2024 Among those who die, some are women; and among those women who die, some, in a particular tragedy, are expectant or recent mothers. Lyman R. Stone, National Review, 28 Jan. 2024 The expectant mom accessorized her daytime ensemble with brown tortoiseshell sunglasses and a large black and white tote bag, while her hair was styled into beachy waves. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 28 Feb. 2024 The expectant father-to-be suddenly finds himself in the kidnappers’ crosshairs, at the same time that larger forces are coming into play. Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 12 Jan. 2024 The Troisgros kitchen combines the experimental exactitude of a laboratory with the creative spirit of an artist’s studio and the tensely expectant energy of the wings of a theatre, and Wiseman is alive to it all. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2023 Scenes cut to the expectant parents and their family members overcome with joy. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2024 Like George, Larry gets into an argument with expectant parents over a name that evokes Yankees legend Mickey Mantle. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 29 Jan. 2024 Wearing a lacy nightgown and baring her belly, the expectant mom places one arm around her husband, Barron Hilton. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 18 Jan. 2024
Noun
In the caption, the expectant mom took a minute to reflect on her emotions. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024 The American Idol alum, 45, shared a carousel of new maternity photos on Instagram earlier this month, showing Ruben and his pregnant wife all dressed up as the expectant mom cradles her baby bump in a rust-colored gown. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024 Family began searching for Angelina Webster and Christian Norris, both 20, after the expectant parents disappeared while going to the movies at around 5 p.m. on Feb. 14, Birmingham police said in a news release. Olivia Lloyd, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2024 At the governor's mansion, the expectant jubilation quickly turned into despair as Eisenhower won in a landslide. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 7 July 2023 When designing the space, there were a few things that the expectant mom knew had to make it into the space. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 25 Jan. 2024 The crowd was alive with an expectant buzz, as if at any minute figures would materialize in the distance, and the horror of the past seven weeks—the nearly fifteen thousand dead, the flattened neighborhoods in Gaza—would now be worth it. Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 10 Dec. 2023 The model captioned the snap by thanking Meghan for joining a campaign to support expectant and parenting foster youth in Los Angeles. Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 14 Nov. 2023 Alabama has an alarming record on keeping expectant and new mothers alive, with a higher share of residents dying in pregnancy and during or shortly after childbirth than almost any other state. Bracey Harris, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'expectant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1609, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of expectant was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near expectant

Cite this Entry

“Expectant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expectant. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

expectant

adjective
ex·​pect·​ant
ik-ˈspek-tənt
1
: characterized by or being in a state of expectation
2
: expecting the birth of a child
expectant mothers
expectantly adverb

Medical Definition

expectant

adjective
ex·​pec·​tant -tənt How to pronounce expectant (audio)
: expecting the birth of a child
expectant mothers

More from Merriam-Webster on expectant

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