1
as in space
an indefinite but usually short period of time
we stayed at the fair for a while longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in effort
the active use of energy in producing a result
it's not worth my while to fix it, so we'll get a new one
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in when
at or during the time that
pay attention while I'm explaining how the new phone system works
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of while
Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
All the while, at least six people, including three young children, huddled behind a man in a red polo shirt in the corner of the restaurant.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
Starting on piano at the age of 5, Mýa took up violin a short while later, and joined the choir in high school.
—Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 18 May 2026
Those payments were eventually made but also took a while to process, the people added.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for while
Noun
David Rush of Record Breaker Rush set out to break the record in 2025 while on a 15-day Disney cruise in the South and North Pacific with his family.
—Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 18 May 2026
All the while, at least six people, including three young children, huddled behind a man in a red polo shirt in the corner of the restaurant.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026
Starting on piano at the age of 5, Mýa took up violin a short while later, and joined the choir in high school.
—Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 18 May 2026
Those payments were eventually made but also took a while to process, the people added.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for while
Recent Examples of Synonyms for while
Noun
-
Their latest study found that by 2029, air pollution from megaconstellation satellite launches — such as Starlink, Amazon Leo or Chinese projects Guowang and Quianfan — will account for more than 40 percent of all pollution generated by the space sector.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
-
Industry pros said the debacle shows how lenders in the space, such as investment banks and asset managers, now face a fundamental challenge in assessing and verifying their true economic exposure to risks within such complex credit structures.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Bahamian authorities assisted with rescue efforts, but did not deploy anyone to the scene, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) told CBS News.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
-
That first strike came courtesy of Catherine Dubois, a versatile depth forward, who was moved onto Montreal’s top line beside Poulin and Laura Stacey in an effort to spread out the team’s offense.—
Hailey Salvian,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Everyone is at least a little bit flawed.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
-
Except for the Kentucky Derby winner going for the Triple Crown, the 151st running of the Preakness Stakes has a little bit of everything.—
Stephen Whyno,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The offense needs a lot of work, and Monken, who has 11 years of NFL offensive coaching experience (though never as a head coach), is tasked with fixing it.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
The new ranch comes with a coffee-drinking porch (mandatory), but it is weathered, rustic and needs work.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Conjunction
-
But scientists and doctors say things aren’t that simple — and a belief that exposing children to marijuana, either directly or indirectly, is harmless isn’t supported by the facts.—
Daniel M. Jimenez,
The Cannifornian,
22 June 2017
-
But with a full and volatile season behind them, the two have grown closer, prompting check-ins from Bradford last month, seeking tidbits from his coach who watched OTA practices on a tablet from his Kentucky retreat.—
Chad Graff,
Twin Cities,
15 June 2017
Cite this Entry
“While.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/while. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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