Hi, Wendy! "Anticipation" and "expectation" CAN be synonyms, but they're not always. Generally speaking, "anticipation" is used more for future events we're certain about, whereas "expectation" is for events where there is a good degree of uncertainty. For example: "I haven't seen my best friend in two years. Her plane just touched down on the tarmac. The anticipation is killing me!" ^ Here, the speaker is almost 100% certain that she is about to see her best friend (barring something unbelievable). Thus, "anticipation" is the correct word to use. "The university's ads made it seem like such a perfect school. I hope it actually meets my family's expectations." ^ Here, while the speaker and her family hope the university is everything they want, it's too uncertain whether or not the university will actually match their standards. On Dictionary.com, "anticipation" has the following three definitions that are not shared by "expectation": 1) realization in advance; foretaste. 2) previous notion; slight previous impression. 3) intuition, foreknowledge, or prescience. Similarly, "expectation" has the following definition not shared by "anticipation": - the degree of probability that something will occur I hope my answer helps. Please let me know if you have any questions =)

I would say typically not, or at least not always. Anticipation is usually only used in a positive context, whereas expectation is more neutral. Anticipation is more commonly used as an object. I looked forward to it with anticipation. (You would usually not use expectation here) My expectation is that it will rain. (You would usually not use anticipation here)

According to google the synonym for anticipation is expectation so have at it. I wouldn't think it could be used in the sentence "the design of the bridge must meet expectation" I feel anticipation doesn't meet a standard of a physical substance. I also submit "the expectation of a chair is to hold someone up" It doesn't sound right to say the anticipation of a chair is to hold someone up. I feel saying it that way gives human characteristics to a chair to feel when all we want is it to make the expectation of a chair being a chair rather than the anticipation that a chair will be a chair. The expectation that a synonym is a synonym is my anticipation.

#anticipation The action of anticipating something; expectation or prediction. ‘her eyes sparkled with anticipation’ ‘they manned the telephones in anticipation of a flood of calls’ Synonyms expectation, prediction, forecast In my personal experience, anticipation is more frequently used in science to express the idea of forecasting a trend of event whereas expectation is often used in everyday conversation showing a wish to the future.