Synonyms for Looking Forward to
Updated · Synonyms List editorial team
Quick answer: Expressing anticipation is easy with the right vocabulary. Synonyms for looking forward to range from casual greetings to formal business correspondence. This guide helps you select the precise word that matches your tone and situation, ensuring your excitement comes across clearly to your audience.
Closest Synonyms for Looking Forward To
- anticipate
- To expect with pleasure; The train arrives soon and I will anticipate the ride.
- await
- To wait for something expected; She will await the results of her exam.
- expect
- To regard as likely to happen; We expect the guests to arrive by noon.
- count on
- To rely upon with confidence; I count on your support during the meeting.
- be eager for
- To feel intense desire; He is eager for the vacation to begin.
- await with baited breath
- To wait anxiously; Fans await the movie with baited breath.
- hope for
- To wish for something to occur; They hope for rain this weekend.
- wish for
- To desire something deeply; She wishes for a new job.
- brim for
- To be filled with anticipation; The room brims for excitement before the show.
- stand for
- To wait in a queue or expect; People stand for the bus.
- wait for
- To remain until something happens; We will wait for the mailman.
- count the minutes
- To wait impatiently; She counts the minutes until dinner.
Formal Synonyms for Looking Forward To
- look forward to receiving
- Used in business letters; I look forward to receiving your proposal.
- be privileged to
- To feel honored; We are privileged to host you.
- rejoice in
- To feel formal happiness; The team rejoices in their victory.
- be delighted to
- To express formal pleasure; She is delighted to meet you.
- await with interest
- To wait professionally with curiosity; We await your feedback with interest.
- be gratified by
- To feel satisfied formally; We are gratified by your praise.
- await with satisfaction
- To wait with a sense of fulfillment; The manager awaits the final audit.
Informal Synonyms for Looking Forward To
- can't wait
- To feel very impatiently; I can't wait to see the puppy.
- look out for
- To watch for something fun; Let's look out for the sale.
- save room for
- To reserve space mentally; Save room for the extra dessert.
- count the days
- To wait eagerly by counting time; He counts the days until summer.
- get excited about
- To feel happy anticipation; Kids get excited about holidays.
- dream about
- To wish for something fun; She dreams about traveling abroad.
- save up for
- To prepare financially; We save up for a new car.
- wait with bated breath
- To wait anxiously for news; They wait with bated breath for the test.
- be dying to
- To feel extremely eager; I am dying to try that restaurant.
Antonyms for Looking Forward To
- dread
- fear
- avoid
- hesitate
- delay
- postpone
- frown upon
- shun
- escape
- flee
How to Pick the Right Synonym
Choose your synonym based on the level of formality required by the situation and the intensity of your feeling. If you are writing a business email, use formal terms like anticipate or await. For casual conversations with friends, phrases like can't wait or count the days express excitement better. Always consider the context to ensure your chosen word accurately reflects your expectation and tone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between anticipate and expect?
Anticipate implies you are preparing for something you expect to happen, often with a sense of pleasure, whereas expect simply means you believe something will occur based on evidence without necessarily feeling excitement.
Can I use look forward to in a business letter?
Yes, looking forward to is a standard phrase in business correspondence, but you should pair it with formal words like receiving or meeting to maintain a professional tone appropriate for the recipient.
What is a good informal way to say looking forward to?
You can use phrases like can't wait or am excited about to convey casual enthusiasm, which fits well in text messages or emails to close friends and family members.
Are there any formal synonyms that sound less clichéd?
Words like privilege to host or delighted to meet offer a more sophisticated alternative to the common look forward to phrase while maintaining a polite and respectful tone.
