as in to stay
to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something
please wait here, and we'll seat you shortly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in delay
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
there was a long wait for the manager to come and help us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wait
Staff Reports, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Here, the atmosphere is upscale and elegant; perhaps one of the nicest Chinese dining rooms in Charlotte, despite the staff still trying to get a handle on hostess, service and wait time logistics.
—Shindy Chen, Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2025
Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Select her first or last initial and get a personalized gift without the wait time of a truly custom piece.
—Madeleine Bokan Thares, Glamour, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wait
Verb
Stay in your vehicle with your seatbelt fastened and wait for the storm to pass.
—Staff Reports, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Here, the atmosphere is upscale and elegant; perhaps one of the nicest Chinese dining rooms in Charlotte, despite the staff still trying to get a handle on hostess, service and wait time logistics.
—Shindy Chen, Charlotte Observer, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
On day one, a rising star made more history, a four-year wait came to an end, and a strange first-night match graced Arthur Ashe Stadium.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Select her first or last initial and get a personalized gift without the wait time of a truly custom piece.
—Madeleine Bokan Thares, Glamour, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for wait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wait
Verb
-
Even as Muchová forced things into a tiebreak, Osaka stayed steady and moved her left and right until the right opening came.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The hearing centered on how America can stay ahead in the new space race, with lawmakers pressing the importance of Artemis and reaffirming the need for the Gateway space station and to maintain continuous operations in low Earth orbit (LEO).—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Hadfield Elementary School Principal Michael Elliott said the school needed to delay the start of school by one week for 4K students due to delays getting supplies for repairs.—
Alec Johnson,
jsonline.com,
30 Aug. 2025
-
Leading up to Whitmer's announcement, Republicans railed against Whitmer's delay in calling for a special election.—
Clara Hendrickson,
Freep.com,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Yet with so many worries lingering, even after Shi’s attempt to reassure them, confidence is as low as at any time in his nine years at the helm.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The tension lingers throughout the meal, leaving the family divided.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
He was released from jail to await trial after posting 10% of a $4,000 bond.—
Cameron Knight,
The Enquirer,
9 Aug. 2025
-
While an initial autopsy found no signs of trauma, investigators are awaiting toxicology results to determine her cause of death.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
To be sure, analysts said the precise impact of potential furniture tariffs remains unclear since many details of the policy have yet to be determined, including the tariff rate.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Dozens of Republicans who served as alternate electors, along with senior figures such as former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani, and attorney John Eastman, remain under indictment in Georgia and in other state-level cases tied to the 2020 election.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wait. Accessed 6 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share