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

Our airport’s been hungry for it for quite a while. — Annie Zak, Anchorage Daily News, "Two big air cargo projects proposed for Anchorage International Airport," 19 July 2019 Bayern Munich's lengthy pursuit of Chelsea wonderkid Callum Hudson-Odoi appears set to go on for a while longer, but a report from Germany has suggested that the winger will not make the move to Bayern this summer. — SI.com, "Callum Hudson-Odoi Will Not Join Bayern This Summer But Remains Uncertain Over New Chelsea Contract," 16 July 2019 Because of his heavy involvement with the Russians, there's a good chance that Kline will be in jail for quite a while. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "Who is Mayor Larry Kline in "Stranger Things" Season 3?," 13 July 2019 Further Reading Apple updates entry-level MacBook Air and Pro, discontinues MacBook No surprises there; the previous one hadn't really been updated in quite a while. — Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, "Teardowns and benchmarks: All the details about Apple’s newest 13-inch MacBook Pro," 12 July 2019 After moving to Rio de Janeiro, Gilberto sang with the vocal group Garotos da Lua for a while, but in 1951 he was fired for turning up late for gigs — or sometimes not turning up at all. — Tom Maxwell, Longreads, "Remembering João Gilberto," 10 July 2019 Amid a growing shift to healthier drinks, the beverage giant has for a while been diversifying its portfolio beyond carbonated drinks. — Sangeeta Tanwar, Quartz India, "Does Café Coffee Day fit into Coca-Cola’s scheme of things?," 2 July 2019 Lab meats can have the beneficial nutrients of meat—iron, vitamin B12, selenium, niacin, and so forth—while also cutting down on the bad stuff, namely the cholesterol and fat content, by integrating only as much as is needed for flavor. — Amanda Little, The New Republic, "The Meat Mogul’s Case For Lab-Grown Beef," 1 July 2019 States like Oregon that legalized marijuana a while ago tend to have lower prices. — Carol Ryan, WSJ, "Cannabis Investors Are Zoning Out About Supply," 27 June 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.