while

while

noun

Definition of WHILE

1

an indefinite but usually short period of time <we stayed at the fair for a while longer>

Synonyms bit, space, spell, stretch

Related Words lapse; season, span; day, epoch, era; beat, eyeblink, flash, heartbeat, instant, jiff, jiffy, minute, moment, nanosecond, New York minute, second, shake, split second, spurt, trice, twinkle, twinkling, wink; aeon (or eon), age, eternity, infinity, perpetuity; interim, interlude, intermission, interval

2

the active use of energy in producing a result <it's not worth my while to fix it, so we'll get a new one>

Synonyms elbow grease, exertion, expenditure, labor, pains, sweat, trouble, while, work

Related Words drudgery, grind, slog, strain, toil, travail; dint, energy; force, might, muscle, power, puissance; attempt, endeavor, essay, fling, go, pass, shot, stab, trial, try, whack

Near Antonyms adroitness, ease, facility, fluency, smoothness; dormancy, idleness, inaction, inactivity, indolence, inertia, languor, laziness, quiescence