Synonyms

waiting

American

[wey-ting] / ˈweɪ tɪŋ /

noun

a period of waiting; pause, interval, or delay.

adjective

serving or being in attendance.

waiting man;
waiting maid;
waiting woman.

idioms

in waiting, in attendance, as upon a royal personage.

Other Word Forms

waitingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of waiting

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English (noun); wait, -ing ¹, -ing ²

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.

Zinchuk emphasizes that future care must prioritize prevention rather than waiting to treat advanced disease.

From Science Daily

Fans were left waiting for five minutes as VAR attempted to determine whether the ball struck the arm of Barnes in the build-up to his goal.

From BBC

Back in Newport Beach, Horning isn’t waiting for the outcome.

From The Wall Street Journal

As we spoke by phone, Ceballos peeked into his waiting room and said three patients were from the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

There is no credible alternative government in exile waiting in the wings.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023