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

• 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

Google’s phone is racing ahead with Android 16 and new security and privacy features, while Samsung awaits its own rollout. —Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

As school districts brace for budget shortfalls, communities await a decision that could reshape access to education and enrichment nationwide. —Amanda Castro hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025

Since the mistrial, Melly’s legal team filed a motion requesting bond for the rapper’s release while awaiting retrial. —Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 15 July 2025

Beefy satisfaction awaits in our guide to cooking burgers indoors. —Li Goldstein, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 July 2025

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