1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

wait 1 of 2

verb

ˈwāt How to pronounce wait (audio)
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

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
Verb
Without detailed rules from Tallahassee on how broadly to interpret the rules, local governments may wait to see what happens if the law is challenged. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026 Multiple thousands of descendants and relatives are still waiting for answers. — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
Noun
The average wait was around five weeks in February 2020, before the Covid pandemic caused a backlog that has yet to be resolved. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026 The championships also return to Germany in 2031 after a 22-year wait, with Munich hosting. — ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wait
  1. stay
  2. delay
  3. linger
  4. await
  5. remain
Verb
  • Take Ludwig, 2018, the artist’s first CGI video, which for eight minutes stays fixed on a single CGI blond boy who rolls around in the dark hold of a ship amid a storm.
    — Matthew McLean, Artforum, 22 Sep. 2026
  • With the town motel still not having been rebuilt, John stays at Hal’s for the night, where feeding his carnivorous alien plant Earl helps the former hero’s demise truly set in.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of stay
Noun
  • Patience is the ability to remain calm and accept delays, difficulties, or annoyance without complaining or becoming angry.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • But last year, there were 71,500 school bus delays, with nearly 100 families filing complaints each day, according to Councilman Lincoln Restler (D-Brooklyn), whose office drafted a recent bill on the issue.
    — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • But now there’s the lingering unknown amid a fight that can feel endless.
    — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The film’s cast is mostly made up of tribal non-actors, but Anghlong Konyak is its captivating center, as a man whose stubbornness against change sits alongside a lingering grief over his fading way of life.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of linger
Verb
  • Lyons wants to continue playing in college and is awaiting an opportunity.
    — Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • As of Friday, 30-year-old Thompson remained in United States Marshal’s custody, awaiting transport to a federal prison.
    — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of await
Verb
  • The coating is designed to remain effective after stamping, potentially allowing manufacturers to remove some processing steps used with untreated aluminum.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Switzerland, which has long remained neutral in international military conflicts, also moved to adopt a security policy on Friday that would protect itself from a future Russian attack.
    — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of remain

Phrases Containing wait

Browse Nearby Words

waists
wait
waited
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wait. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on wait

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about wait

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nemesis

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All