To deal with beforehand; act so as to mitigate, nullify, or prevent: We anticipated the storm by boarding up the windows. See Synonyms at expect. To react to (someone) abruptly, especially to prevent someone from continuing or progressing:"Immediately he regretted his words and started to add:'I didn't know you lived out this way.' But Bloekman anticipated him by asking pleasantly:'So how's your wife?'"(F. Scott Fitzgerald). To act in a way that blocks or vitiates the action of (another):"Professor Thomson had anticipated me and had obtained many patents on this principle"(Nikola Tesla).