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waist

noun

ˈwāst How to pronounce waist (audio)
Definition of waistnext
as in stomach
the middle region of the human torso bent at the waist to catch his breath

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 waist The drawstring waist and relaxed silhouette lean casual, but the denim fabric means they can still be dressed up far beyond your typical sweatpants. — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2026 At the two-week trial, three victims recounted beatings while suspended from pipes on the ceiling and the use of a device that folded their bodies in half at the waist. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026 Without stretch, jeans can pinch waists or cause discomfort when moving or sitting. — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026 Petite styling coach Angela Foster suggests either opting for a shorter hemline that hits around the waist or going longer with a mid-calf or ankle-grazing style. — Kelsey Stewart, Glamour, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for waist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waist
  1. stomach
  2. middle
  3. waistline
  4. midsection
  5. midriff
  6. belly
  7. trunk
Noun
  • Creative fare like biryani arancini, crab risotto with curry leaf pesto, and chicken tikka pot pie are worth arriving with an empty stomach for.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The court heard how the former nurse, now 36, attacked babies in her care by administering air into their blood and stomachs, overfeeding them with milk, physically assaulting them and poisoning them with insulin.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of stomach
Noun
  • One play after a brutal Romeo Doubs drop, Maye tried to go over the middle of the field on 3rd-and-14, but he was picked off by Love.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The middle is crumbly, moist and odorless, with bits of charcoal from long-ago fires.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of middle
Noun
  • One shopper said the jeans hit just below their natural waistline—neither too low nor too high.
    — Kate Donovan, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The difference is that the latter is a much more billowy version, defined by a high waistline that crescendos into a full-body flare, creating an optical illusion of longer legs.
    — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of waistline
Noun
  • Welch recommends identifying the widest part of your body, whether that’s your hips, midsection or shoulders.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The garment was a deep shade of purple, almost eggplant, and featured an asymmetric neckline that draped over a single shoulder, transitioning into a thin midsection with cutouts on either side.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of midsection
Noun
  • The biggest night in TV has brought us quite a few risqué red carpet moments, from Halle Berry’s sheer, plunging dress in 2000 to Sharon Stone’s midriff-baring gown.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 14 Sep. 2026
  • One of his costumes exposed Cher’s midriff, making her the first person approved to show her belly button on TV.
    — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of midriff
Noun
  • Cuoco also added a few mirror selfies of her baby belly, as well as pictures from throughout her pregnancy so far.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The feathers on her back were of mottled sepia tones, and those on her belly were rusty brown and painterly white.
    — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of belly
Noun
  • In my dream, the woman with the shape of Kiju’s hand imprinted on her cheek was using a hatchet, slamming it into the trunk over and over again, her neatly coiffed hair loose and knotted.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Here’s why A buck tears into a cedar tree trunk, leaving shavings of bark all around its already scarred base.
    — Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of trunk

Browse Nearby Words

wains
waist
waistband
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Waist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waist. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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