Expected Meaning
Expected Definition & Usage
Regarded as likely or anticipated to happen; something that is predicted or assumed to occur.
Examples
- "The expected rain didn't arrive until late in the evening."
- "Her expected arrival time is 5:00 PM, but she might be early."
- "The team is preparing for the expected challenges during the game."
- "I wasn't prepared for the expected increase in demand after the launch."
- "They received the expected apology from the company after the incident."
Describing a person’s attitude or feelings when they are waiting for something, usually with a sense of readiness or preparedness.
Examples
- "She felt an expected sense of excitement as she waited for the concert to begin."
- "There was an expected tension in the air before the presentation started."
- "The room had an expected quiet as the students prepared for their final exam."
- "After months of anticipation, the expected joy of the holiday season was palpable."
- "He gave her an expected smile, as though he knew the outcome already."
Describing a value, result, or figure that is predicted based on statistical models, historical data, or previous trends.
Examples
- "The company's quarterly earnings were in line with the expected figures."
- "The expected sales for this month were 15% higher than last year."
- "Analysts had forecasted the expected growth to be around 5%, but it exceeded that."
- "The expected inflation rate for this year has been revised upwards."
- "The product's market penetration was lower than the expected target."
Cultural Context
The term 'expected' has a long history, with roots in Middle English from the word 'expecten', derived from Latin 'expectare' meaning 'to look out for'. It has become a ubiquitous term in both casual and formal contexts, often used in relation to time, events, and emotions. As society has grown more data-driven, the term has also taken on significant importance in the fields of business, finance, and statistics.
The Expected Outcome
Story
The Expected Outcome
Jenna sat at the edge of her seat, her eyes glued to the clock. The hands were creeping towards 3:00 PM, the time she had expected the email to arrive. It had been a nerve-wracking few days, ever since the company had promised to send her the results of her interview. She glanced at the phone, no notifications yet. An expected silence hung in the air, broken only by the occasional clink of keys from her colleagues who were still absorbed in their work. But Jenna had prepared herself. The expected tension she felt was something everyone who had gone through the same process could relate to. It was a mixture of excitement, fear, and hope. She knew the email was likely to be a form letter, offering the standard congratulations or rejections, but still, it felt monumental. After all, the outcome was what she had been expecting for weeks. At exactly 3:00 PM, her phone buzzed. She quickly grabbed it, trying not to feel overly eager, but her heart was pounding in her chest. 'Congratulations! You've been selected for the position.' Her jaw dropped, and a smile spread across her face. The expected joy of receiving the good news was overwhelming, and for a moment, the office felt like it had melted away. She leaned back in her chair, her mind still racing. She had expected this, but the reality was even better than she'd imagined. The next day, Jenna walked into the office feeling a different kind of expected: the anticipation of a new journey, filled with challenges she was ready to face. Her manager had warned her that the work would be tough, but the expected reward of growth and success was what made the effort worthwhile. As the days went on, Jenna quickly realized that this feeling of being 'expected'—a sense of readiness and psychological preparedness—was going to be the key to her success. She had expected challenges. But she was more than ready for them.
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