waist

noun

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\ ˈwāst

Definition of waist

1a : 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

3 : a garment or the part of a garment covering the body from the neck to the waistline or just below:

a : bodice sense 1

b : blouse

4 : waistline sense 1b

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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 Ortiz’s grandmother, 92-year-old Maria Fuertes, was found strangled lying on a sidewalk in Queens in the early morning hours of Jan. 6 with her clothes pulled above her waist. — Andrew Mark Miller, Washington Examiner, "Granddaughter of 92-year-old murdered woman slams sanctuary city policies," 14 Feb. 2020 With a fanny back fastened to her waist and a cellphone in her hand, the Chinese national walked through the open gate and began snapping photos Dec. 18. — Hannah Winston, USA TODAY, "Jury finds Chinese national not guilty of trespassing Mar-a-Lago: 'An honest mistake'," 12 Feb. 2020 Cade ran about 50 feet, then stopped and turned toward the officers with his hands together at his waist, police said. — Robin Goist, cleveland, "Body-cam footage shows 19-year-old gesturing toward Akron officers seconds before being shot," 7 Feb. 2020 Her waist was corseted, and her nose affixed with prosthetics. — Elena Nicolaou, refinery29.com, "What Made Judy Garland’s Life So Tragic," 29 Jan. 2020 The snapshot showed Andrew standing alongside her in a London apartment with his arm wrapped around her bare waist with Epstein’s former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell standing in the background. — Nicole Hong, BostonGlobe.com, "Prince Andrew offers ‘zero cooperation’ in Epstein case, prosecutor says," 27 Jan. 2020 In 1987, the company introduced the Nike Monitor, a clunky device that runners would strap to their waists that allowed them to receive information about their distance, speed, and heart rate. — Rita Mcgrath, Fortune, "How businesses can see big changes coming ahead of time," 18 Jan. 2020 Slip the pack over your shoulders and buckle it around your waist for a secure fit. — Popular Science, "Three hydration packs that won’t let thirst slow you down," 10 Jan. 2020 The crease is also meant to make the chair more comfortable by helping support your lower back and creating space around your waist. — Isabel Garcia, House Beautiful, "These Chairs Are Made of Household Garbage," 10 Jan. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'waist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.