all but anticipated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "all but anticipated" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something was almost expected or predicted, but not entirely so. Example: "The sudden announcement of the merger was all but anticipated by the industry experts, who had been observing the company's recent activities closely."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Board member Bennett Kayser, a frequent Deasy critic, could not be reached Friday, but his office issued a brief statement that all but anticipated the superintendent's departure.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The trick to managing risk is not seeing the thunderheads gathering this week or even this month, but anticipating all the nasty weather one, three or even five years from now.

Forbes

(Yes, those days will come around again). The trick to managing risk is not seeing the thunderheads gathering this week or even this month, but anticipating all the nasty weather one, three or even five years from now.

Forbes

Should be a very handsome investment for all of us". But anticipating a possible backlash, the company warned in an internal memo that advocates for HIV patients might react to the price hike.

Los Angeles Times

With the down-turn in the economy, all outside capitalization discussions were all put on hold, but anticipating that the capital market will be back in 2010, my attention now cycles between long-term plans for growth acceleration and short-term operational issues.

Forbes

But anticipate change.

Huffington Post

The real benefit of a smart building is that technology can help it evolve into an empathetic building — one that not only makes life a little easier for all, but that anticipates and responds to the needs of tenants as individuals.

Forbes

All this anticipates David Lynch or Desperate Housewives.

The Guardian - Books

Second, this Sox team had the fourth-highest payroll in the majors — they finished better than nearly all the prognosticators had anticipated, but they were not the Astros.

The New Yorker

Well, they sent an officer out, which is not at all what I anticipated, but he came to the house.

Duke University

But for some experts, it should have all been anticipated, and perhaps prevented.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "all but anticipated" to convey a sense of near certainty or strong likelihood, implying that something was almost expected but not explicitly stated.

Common error

Avoid using "all but anticipated" when the event was genuinely surprising or unexpected; the phrase implies a high degree of predictability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all but anticipated" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating the degree to which something was expected or predicted. As Ludwig AI pointed out, it suggests a high degree of likelihood.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Science

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "all but anticipated" is a versatile expression used to indicate that something was nearly expected or predicted. As Ludwig AI explains, it's grammatically correct and suitable for both formal and informal writing. It functions as an adverbial modifier, adding nuance to descriptions of events or outcomes. While it frequently appears in news and media, its usage extends to academic and scientific contexts as well. Remember to use it when you want to convey a sense of near certainty without stating it outright.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

virtually certain

Emphasizes the high degree of likelihood, suggesting near certainty instead of anticipation.

practically expected

Highlights the expectation aspect, focusing on the practical implications of anticipating something.

almost foreseen

Stresses the act of foreseeing or predicting, rather than the degree of expectation.

nearly predicted

Focuses on the prediction aspect, suggesting a forecast that came close to being accurate.

as good as predicted

Implies the anticipation was so strong that the outcome was essentially predetermined.

tantamount to expected

Indicates that the situation was equivalent to being expected, though not explicitly stated.

effectively predictable

Highlights the predictability of the event, suggesting it could have been easily anticipated.

in effect foreseen

Emphasizes that the event was foreseen in its practical effect, even if not explicitly predicted.

for all intents and purposes expected

Suggests that for practical purposes, the event was as good as expected, even if not officially.

might as well have anticipated

Suggests that the anticipation was so obvious, it's as if it had already happened.

FAQs

What does "all but anticipated" mean?

It means something was almost expected or predicted, indicating a high degree of likelihood but not complete certainty. The event was nearly foreseen or preordained.

How can I use "all but anticipated" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe situations where the outcome was highly predictable: "The company's bankruptcy was "virtually certain", and the announcement was all but anticipated."

What are some alternatives to "all but anticipated"?

Consider using phrases like "practically expected", "nearly predicted", or ""virtually certain"" to convey a similar meaning depending on the context.

Is "all but anticipated" formal or informal?

It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though it tends to appear more frequently in news and analytical writing rather than casual conversation.