await
Americanverb (used with object)
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to wait for; expect; look for.
He is still awaiting an answer.
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to be in store for; be imminent.
A pleasant surprise awaits her in today's mail.
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Obsolete. to lie in wait for.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to wait for; expect
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(tr) to be in store for
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(intr) to wait, esp with expectation
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obsolete (tr) to wait for in order to ambush
Usage
What are other ways to say await?
To await something is to wait for it or look for it expectantly. How is await different from anticipate, hope, and expect? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
- awaiter noun
Etymology
Origin of await
First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English awaiten, from Old North French awaitier (Old French aguaitier ), equivalent to a- a- 5 + waitier wait
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They stayed closed on Monday while the deal was awaiting confirmation.
From BBC
The narrative suggested an arms race was under way, and capital flowed freely into the Magnificent Seven poster stocks with the assumption that profits would await those with the financial power to stay ahead.
From MarketWatch
His eagerly awaited first public comments to the media since the Iran attacks finally came when he arrived back at the White House -- but they weren't about the news of the day.
From Barron's
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah, cautioned Iranians to stay vigilant in the face of air strikes and await the right moment to return to the streets.
From Barron's
Pike went back to picking up the hose while awaiting new orders, which never came.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
