intense anticipation

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "intense anticipation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a strong feeling of excitement or expectation about something that is about to happen. Example: "As the concert date approached, there was an atmosphere of intense anticipation among the fans."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Arts

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

The crowd was buzzing to a different frequency, though: the intense anticipation of Rihanna.

The New Yorker

After the mega-success of her Harry Potter series, Ms. Rowling wrote a novel for adults, "The Casual Vacancy," which was published by Little, Brown & Company in September amid intense anticipation.

The New York Times - Books

To my amazement, the audience scattered around me didn't listen to the orchestra with intense anticipation but just kept on talking as if there were no overture at all.

The New York Times - Magazine

VATICAN CITY — Despite intense anticipation, the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church marched toward the papal election at a deliberate pace on Tuesday, making clear they would not be rushed as they formulate their views on who should be the next man to lead the world's more than one billion Catholics.

The New York Times

The reports of Mr. Cliburn's progress — prevailing during the early rounds, making it to the finals and becoming the darling of the Russian people, who embraced him in the streets and flooded him with fan mail and flowers — created intense anticipation as he entered the finals.

The New York Times - Arts

I think that means hostilities have resumed… Anyway, this is the last warm up game before the warm up games played by the provisional World Cup squads in June, so aside from the intense anticipation that always greets games between these two sides, there are summer selection subplots all over the field.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Sequels from long-established franchises like Microsoft's Halo 3, Activision's Call of Duty 4, and Electronic Arts Madden NFLL 08 benefited from intense gamer anticipation.

Forbes

Remember when you were a child, how intense the anticipation of Christmas was?

Huffington Post

The build up to the men's Ashes has been intense; levels of anticipation of the nation are high.

The Guardian - Sport

As intense as the anticipation over Obama's choice is, it pales next to the hubbub over whether McCain is going to tap Lieberman, who was Al Gore's running mate in 2000.

The New York Times

The trailer for Spike Jonze's live-action adaptation of one of Maurice Sendak's many classic children's books, "Where the Wild Things Are," recently went online and has been, I'm told, an object of intense interest and anticipation among young adults who grew up with the book (the movie opens October 16th).

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "intense anticipation" to create a sense of heightened expectation or suspense in your writing. This phrase works well when describing the feeling before a significant event, release, or revelation.

Common error

Avoid using "intense anticipation" for minor or everyday occurrences. The phrase is best reserved for situations where the level of excitement or expectation is genuinely high and significant, not simply a mild sense of looking forward to something.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "intense anticipation" functions as a noun phrase where "intense" modifies "anticipation". According to Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used. It serves to emphasize the strength and depth of the feeling of anticipation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Sport

20%

Arts

20%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "intense anticipation" is a grammatically sound and versatile phrase used to express a strong feeling of excitement or expectation. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, while its presence across various reputable sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian underscores its validity. Although uncommon, the phrase effectively conveys a sense of heightened anticipation in contexts ranging from news to arts. Alternatives like "eager expectation" or "heightened anticipation" offer similar nuances, providing writers with options to fine-tune their expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

eager expectation

Swaps "intense" for "eager", emphasizing enthusiasm more directly.

heightened anticipation

Replaces "intense" with "heightened", focusing on the increase in anticipation.

acute anticipation

Uses "acute" instead of "intense", suggesting a sharper, more keenly felt anticipation.

fervent anticipation

Substitutes "intense" with "fervent", highlighting a passionate and enthusiastic anticipation.

keen anticipation

Replaces "intense" with "keen", implying a sharp and eager anticipation.

great eagerness

Changes the structure to focus on the "eagerness" itself, rather than "anticipation".

high expectation

Shifts the focus to the expected outcome rather than the feeling of anticipation.

excited expectation

Highlights the feeling of excitement associated with the expectation.

strong eagerness

Emphasizes the strength of the feeling of eagerness.

deep suspense

Focuses on the suspenseful feeling while waiting, changing the nuance.

FAQs

How can I use "intense anticipation" in a sentence?

You can use "intense anticipation" to describe the feeling before an exciting event. For example, "There was an atmosphere of "intense anticipation" before the concert began."

What can I say instead of "intense anticipation"?

You can use alternatives like "eager expectation", "heightened anticipation", or "keen anticipation" depending on the context.

Is it more appropriate to use "intense anticipation" or "great expectation"?

"Intense anticipation" focuses on the feeling of excitement and suspense, while "great expectation" emphasizes the magnitude of what is anticipated. The choice depends on whether you want to highlight the emotional state or the perceived importance of the expected event.

What's the difference between "intense anticipation" and "strong anticipation"?

"Intense anticipation" suggests a higher degree of excitement and emotional involvement compared to "strong anticipation". "Intense" implies a powerful, almost overwhelming feeling, whereas "strong" simply indicates a notable level of anticipation.