wait 1 of 2

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
Many big Silicon Valley companies weren’t willing to wait, and smaller ones couldn’t afford to. Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 July 2025 Tijuana has always been a place of waiting for migrants. Alexandra Mendoza, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 July 2025
Noun
Stick around for both if your bladder can manage the wait. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025 But the wait is over: Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks will finally reissue their 1973 album, Buckingham Nicks, on Sept. 19. Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for wait
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wait
Verb
  • How to stay cool during a heat wave When the temperatures climb, the Ohio Department of Health has some advice on how to stay safe and cool.
    Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 22 July 2025
  • Stricter screening sent the minors’ shelter stays soaring.
    Nicol León, AZCentral.com, 22 July 2025
Noun
  • The Financial Times reported that electricity costs in the U.S.'s largest power market are set to hit a record high, driven by surging demand for AI data centers and delays in new power plant construction.
    Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025
  • Cannabis Advocates Call For Rescheduling Marijuana Following Cole’s confirmation, cannabis industry organizations and executives were quick to call on the new DEA head to approve the proposal to reschedule cannabis, which has been put on hold since January because of procedural delays.
    A.J. Herrington, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Verb
  • Yet these employment cuts can have devastating consequences on workers and cause lingering damage to the labor market at large.
    Omeed Maghzian, Harvard Business Review, 21 July 2025
  • Do lingering questions about this biotechnology disqualify it?
    Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • In a land as vast as her dreams, a bouquet of yellow roses awaited her on the other side of the tarmac — a gift from her influential stepfather and mother, symbolizing Texas.
    Beck Andrew Salgado, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • President Trump on Tuesday headed home from Scotland, knowing that the controversy over Jeffrey Epstein awaits him in Washington.
    Mark Joyella, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
Verb
  • Sections of the park that will remain open include Funland, the golf course, the pickleball courts, tennis courts, disc golf area (red and blue courses), pavilion rentals and the Arkansas River Trail.
    Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 1 Aug. 2025
  • Opened by Crista Luedtke over fifteen years ago, boon eat + drink remains one of Guerneville’s essential dinner spots.
    Keyla Vasconcellos, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wait.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wait. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on 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!