while

noun

\ ˈhwī(-ə)l

, ˈwī(-ə)l\

Definition of while

(Entry 1 of 4)

1 : a period of time especially when short and marked by the occurrence of an action or a condition : time stay here for a while

2 : the time and effort used (as in the performance of an action) : trouble worth your while

while

conjunction

Definition of while (Entry 2 of 4)

1a : during the time that take a nap while I'm out

b : as long as while there's life there's hope

2a : when on the other hand : whereas easy for an expert, while it is dangerous for a novice

b : in spite of the fact that : although while respected, he is not liked

3 : similarly and at the same time that while the book will be welcomed by scholars, it will make an immediate appeal to the general reader — British Book News

while

preposition

Definition of while (Entry 3 of 4)

dialectal British

: until

while

verb

whiled; whiling

Definition of while (Entry 4 of 4)

transitive verb

: to cause to pass especially without boredom or in a pleasant manner —usually used with away while away the time

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about while

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Synonyms for while

Synonyms: Noun

bit, space, spell, stretch

Synonyms: Conjunction

as, so long as, when, whilst [chiefly British]

Examples of while in a Sentence

Noun

It took them a while to find out what was causing the problem. we stayed at the fair for a while longer

Conjunction

Someone called while you were out. You can get the photos developed while you wait. The phone rang while I was doing the dishes. They met while they were in college. Can I get you anything while I'm at the store? He made a comment that, while well-intentioned, still hurt my feelings. While I think some parts of the plan are good, I don't think it's practical.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Where there’s smoke there’s fire, which in this case means if the pace of updates seems unrealistically fast—and Fortnite’s has for a while—then someone’s probably suffering for it. — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "This week in games: A first look at Vampire: The Masquerade 2 (sort-of) and Overwatch's new script editor," 22 Apr. 2019 The Democrats are maintaining their obstinacy not based on the merits of the issue, since most of their leaders voted a while ago for substantially what the president seeks. — WSJ, "They Are Banging Heads Against the Wall," 18 Jan. 2019 Millie Bobby Brown and Natalie Portman Twitter started buzzing about the possibility that Millie Bobby Brown is a doppelgänger for a young Natalie Portman a while ago, and Satural Night Live even gave some credence to that observation. — Elizabeth Denton, Allure, "16 Pairs of Celebrities Who Look Like Identical Twins," 3 Aug. 2018 Fans have been waiting for this moment for a while. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Jon Snow Did a Very Targaryen Thing in the Game of Thrones Season 8 Premiere," 15 Apr. 2019 It’s no wonder Firmament faded into the background for a while. — Hayden Dingman, PCWorld, "Myst developer Cyan returns to Kickstarter for new game Firmament," 26 Mar. 2019 It's been a while since Lori Loughlin, best known as the beloved Aunt Becky to the Tanner trio on Full House, has had her name in the headlines. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "How Lori Loughlin and Her Husband Mossimo Giannulli Became Involved in the College Admissions Scandal," 13 Mar. 2019 When Kevin and Brakel met a short while ago, his former coach brought up the idea of his former star leading a team of his own from the bench. — Peter Dawson, star-telegram, "First family of Fort Worth basketball still shining after careers at TCU, Kansas," 12 July 2018 All the while, the other ladies of the group have experimented with teal, rose-gold, and yellow hues. — Devon Abelman, Allure, "Jennie of Blackpink Reveals New Blonde Hair in "Kill This Love" Promo," 26 Mar. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The couple, who became engaged last month, were seen getting emotional during a bike ride and while out at a restaurant. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin Were Seen Crying Together and Now We're Crying," 7 Aug. 2018 Few who are well versed in tarot would mistake a serious deck as a fun way to while away the afternoon. — Jane Stern, Town & Country, "My Love of Tarot Is a Family Tradition," 24 Sep. 2018 Floating along the lazy Russian River in an inner tube accessorized with an inflatable pink flamingo cooler is a perfect way to while away the summer. — Catherine Bigelow, SFChronicle.com, "Summer’s R&R hot spots from SF’s social set," 10 July 2018 Other safety tips while away include buying a timer for lights and setting them to turn off and on at random, or asking neighbors or friends to occasionally park in the driveway. — Alex Riggins, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Sheriff's Department offers free home checks for residents on vacation," 5 July 2018 The city exists within a single building; there are single rooms with no locks, each with a bed, a dresser, and — if the resident’s family provides one — a television set with which to while away the hours. — Leslie Kendall Dye, Longreads, "City on a Hill," 23 June 2018 Another name Schmitz mentioned was Maryland's Kevin Huerter, who while known as a shooter, can play some point guard. — Andrew Hussey, Indianapolis Star, "ESPN NBA Draft analysts discuss Pacers draft options," 18 June 2018 Trump has defied all modern precedent by retaining control of his family company while serving as president, allowing interests domestic or foreign to curry favor by enriching him personally. — Jonathan Chait, Daily Intelligencer, "The Michael Cohen Bribery Scandal Is Now a Trump Bribery Scandal," 16 May 2018 In a separate instance, Rourke sought payment for 16 hours of sick leave that he also was not entitled to while on leave, officials said. — Peter Krouse, cleveland.com, "Cuyahoga County improperly pays IT director who is on leave, then corrects mistake," 26 Apr. 2018

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