1
a
: the typically narrowed part of the body between the hips and chest or upper back
put his arm around her waist
b
: the greatly constricted basal part of the abdomen of some insects (such as wasps and flies)
2
: the part of something corresponding to or resembling the human waist: such as
a(1)
: the part of a ship's deck between the poop and forecastle
(2)
: the middle part of a sailing ship between foremast and mainmast
b
: the middle section of the fuselage of an airplane
Examples of waist in a Sentence
He has a narrow waist and broad shoulders.
He put his arm around her waist.
These pants have an elastic waist.
The waist of this skirt is too tight.
Recent Examples on the Web
Prince William, in his Blues and Royals uniform, has his hands gently on her waist.
—
Elise Taylor, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2024
The study also tracked waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio, demonstrating that higher numbers in both measurements directly correlated to a higher risk of cardiovascular death across all age groups.
—Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 25 Apr. 2024
The silhouette is flattering and comfortable thanks to the elastic waist and asymmetrical neckline.
—Gabrielle Porcaro, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
Del Rey mostly watched with admiration, but joined in on some of the verses and at one point placed her hands on Cabello’s waist and playfully spun her around.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 20 Apr. 2024
There were no significant differences in blood sugar, blood pressure, waist circumference or lipid levels.
—Aria Bendix, NBC News, 19 Apr. 2024
Plus, the design is flattering on the waist and allows airflow to keep you cool in the heat.
—Megan Schaltegger, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2024
Cawthorn was in a car crash at 18 years old that left him paralyzed from the waist down and requiring the use of a wheelchair.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
Hernandez was rushed to Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, where doctors explained to his family that the bullet had struck his spine and he was paralyzed from the waist down, according to Nora Flores, Hernandez’s cousin.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024
Elise Taylor, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2024
The study also tracked waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio, demonstrating that higher numbers in both measurements directly correlated to a higher risk of cardiovascular death across all age groups.
—Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 25 Apr. 2024
The silhouette is flattering and comfortable thanks to the elastic waist and asymmetrical neckline.
—Gabrielle Porcaro, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2024
Del Rey mostly watched with admiration, but joined in on some of the verses and at one point placed her hands on Cabello’s waist and playfully spun her around.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 20 Apr. 2024
There were no significant differences in blood sugar, blood pressure, waist circumference or lipid levels.
—Aria Bendix, NBC News, 19 Apr. 2024
Plus, the design is flattering on the waist and allows airflow to keep you cool in the heat.
—Megan Schaltegger, Southern Living, 18 Apr. 2024
Cawthorn was in a car crash at 18 years old that left him paralyzed from the waist down and requiring the use of a wheelchair.
—Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
Hernandez was rushed to Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, where doctors explained to his family that the bullet had struck his spine and he was paralyzed from the waist down, according to Nora Flores, Hernandez’s cousin.
—Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'waist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Waist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waist. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
waist
noun1
a
: the usually narrowed part of the body between the chest and hips
b
: the narrow front part of the abdomen of some insects (as a wasp)
2
: the central portion of something that is usually thinner or narrower than the ends
the waist of a ship
the waist of a violin
3
: a garment or the part of a garment that covers the body from the neck to the waist
Medical Definition
waist
noun
: the typically narrowed part of the body between the thorax and hips
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