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

Most notably, Saudi Arabia has rerouted about 5 million barrels of oil per day that would have been destined for awaiting oil tankers in the Persian Gulf. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026

Kansas City Royals outfielder Kyle Isbel had a special bat awaiting him at Kauffman Stadium on Friday night. — Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2026

In 1984, Wright starred as Carlyle in director Robert Altman’s war drama Streamers, which chroniciles the friction between four young soldiers awaiting deployment to Vietnam in 1965. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

The moment that Patricia’s family had been awaiting 20 years for is finally complete. — Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 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