To expect that something will happen, often preparing for it in advance.
“I anticipate that the store will run a sale next week based on the signs.”
“Given the long line, I anticipate that customers will start to complain soon.”
'Anticipate' is a strong, higher-level vocabulary word that can impress examiners in Task 4 when used correctly to describe an expected outcome. Use it in a structure like 'I anticipate that the manager will approve the request' to sound more advanced than simply saying 'I think.' Just be careful with pronunciation, since mispronouncing complex words can hurt your score more than using a simpler word correctly.
Synonyms: expect, foresee, predict