wait 1 of 2

Definition of waitnext
as in to stay
to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something please wait here, and we'll seat you shortly

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wait

2 of 2

noun

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

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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
Verb
The instrument teams had to wait until only last week to receive the data and are now working hard to analyze it all. Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 2 Mar. 2026 Your ideal green mani is waiting at the end of the rainbow. Grace McCarty, Glamour, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
For the Pata family, the wait for justice continues — nearly 20 years after the killing that shook the University of Miami football program and the South Florida community. Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026 In business, this same perseverance can be invaluable when navigating competitive and fluctuating markets, stubborn problems or enduring long timelines that don’t pay immediate dividends but for which the rewards are worth the wait. Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wait
Verb
  • Chiles stays perfect Another week, another Jordan Chiles perfect 10.
    Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
  • There are a multitude of absurd high jinks and shenanigans (really the only words applicable here) that lead to Greg's decision to stay and inevitably fill each episode.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • This delay meant that, as guests waited for the ceremony to begin, the sun had set and candles had to be lit inside the church.
    Radhika Seth, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Motorists should anticipate delays, plan ahead and choose alternate routes.
    Holly Andres, Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Still, a 12-person jury was selected Monday, and opening arguments went ahead in the Manhattan federal courthouse Tuesday morning, amid lingering questions about whether it could all be upended by a last-minute deal.
    Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Patchy fog may linger in the morning.
    Brandi D. Addison, IndyStar, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The economic backdrop that awaits Warsh is also far less friendly than the one Greenspan enjoyed.
    Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
  • The stakes are high as the industry awaits whether the new collection will signal a departure from the bold, intricate aesthetic that defined Olivier Rousteing’s 14-year tenure at the house.
    Laure Guilbault, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • And weekly filings for first-time jobless benefits – considered a proxy for layoffs – have remained steadily low.
    Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The remaining 110 seats in the 275-member body will be allocated through a proportional representation system, under which political parties nominate lawmakers based on their share of the vote.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026

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“Wait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wait. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

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