await

verb

ə-ˈwāt 

awaited; awaiting; awaits

transitive verb

1

a

: to wait for

We are awaiting his arrival.

await a decision

b

: to remain in abeyance until

a treaty awaiting ratification

2

: to be in store for

He wonders what awaits him next.

3

obsolete : to lie in wait for

intransitive verb

1

: to stay or be in waiting : wait

The nation awaited as Congress debated the issue.

2

: to be in store

… marched … north to civilization where fame and fortune awaited.

—Tom Marvel

3

obsolete : attend

Synonyms of await

• expect
• anticipate

Examples of await in a Sentence

A crowd of people awaited the train.

We're eagerly awaiting his arrival.

He was arrested and is now in prison awaiting trial.

Her long-awaited new novel is finally being published.

The same fate awaits us all.

Recent Examples on the Web

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are jailed and awaiting trial on drug trafficking charges in New York. —Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2026

Both await local approval to move forward. —Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 3 Mar. 2026

There are also four topics awaiting finalization of draft recommendations, including the self-collection of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing for cervical cancer for the first time. —Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026

Consequently, Parra and Lambert's clients, who have been able to pay bond, get released from detention and await their immigration court hearings from home. —Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 3 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French aweiter, aguaiter, from a- (from Latin ad-) + guaiter to watch — more at wait

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Rhymes for await

• abate
• airfreight
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate
• castrate

Kids Definition

await

verb

ə-ˈwāt 

1

: to wait for : expect

await a train

2

: to be ready or waiting for

a reward awaits you