anticipate

/ænˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/

//ænˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"anticipate" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“anticipate” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #10,646. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#10,646
frequency rank, English
3,931
“A” headwords
14
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To act before (someone), especially to prevent an action.

Corpus desk

Index EN-anticipate · anticipate · English

anticipate · rank #10,646 · 14 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #10,646
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-5 5 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,931
  • PHOTO-FINISH analytical

Nearest frequency peer: analytical (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “anticipate”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “anticipate” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for anticipate
PropertyValue
Headwordanticipate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ænˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/
Letters10
Frequency rank#10,646
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “anticipate”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).anticipatelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “analytical” (#10,645), “arcade” (#10,647), “analog” (#10,644). Among 3,931 “A” headwords, “anticipate” is #10,646. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around anticipate (IPA /ænˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/), averb. Corpus frequency is #10,646 among 3,931 “A” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for anticipate, with forms such as "anitcipate", "annticipate", and "antciipate". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin anticipātus, perfect passive participle of anticipō (“to anticipate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ante- (“before”), + capiō (“to take”, cip- when prefixed) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). See capable. The correct English form is anticipate, spelled A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To act before (someone), especially to prevent an action.
  2. 2
    To take up or introduce (something) prematurely.
  3. 3
    To know of (something) before it happens; to expect.
  4. 4
    To eagerly wait for (something)

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how anticipate appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. c. 1824 (written, published in 1891) Robert Hall, Fragment on Popery When two parties, each formidable for their numbers, and the weight of their influence and property, are animated by an equal degree of zeal, it is natural to anticipate the final success of that which possesses the most inherent strength.
  2. He would probably have died by the hand of the executioner, if indeed the executioner had not been anticipated by the populace.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin anticipātus, perfect passive participle of anticipō (“to anticipate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ante- (“before”), + capiō (“to take”, cip- when prefixed) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). See capable.

This word in other languages

anticiparse(Español)anticiper(Français)vorgreifen(Deutsch)antecipar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • anitcipate
  • annticipate
  • antciipate
  • anticcipate
  • anticiapte
  • anticipaet
  • anticipatte
  • anticippate
  • anticiptae
  • anticpiate
  • antiicpate
  • antticipate
  • atnicipate
  • naticipate

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of anticipate - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

anitcipate2annticipate1antciipate2anticcipate1anticiapte2anticipaet2anticipatte1anticippate1
Edit distance from "anticipate"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "anticipate"?
"anticipate" is spelled A-N-T-I-C-I-P-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ænˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/.
What does "anticipate" mean?
As a verb, "anticipate" means: To act before (someone), especially to prevent an action.
What are common misspellings of "anticipate"?
Common misspellings include "anitcipate", "annticipate", "antciipate", "anticcipate", "anticiapte". The correct spelling is "anticipate".
How do you pronounce "anticipate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "anticipate" is /ænˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "anticipate"?
Borrowed from Latin anticipātus, perfect passive participle of anticipō (“to anticipate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from ante- (“before”), + capiō (“to take”, cip- when prefixed) + -ō (verb-forming suffix). See capable. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "anticipate", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

analytical#10,645worthwhile#10,638ceremonies#10,660contention#10,671

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

Arlington14 variantsunchanged14 variantscommodities14 variantsstoryline14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list