WAITING Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

waiting 1 of 2

noun

as in delay

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Dissimilar Words

waiting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of wait

as in staying

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 waiting

Noun

Its 14-day waiting period applies to every condition, even knee injuries and hip dysplasia, which often carry six-month waits elsewhere. — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026 New residents have a five-year waiting period before receiving the benefit. — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026 Hard Rock Bet is offering new users the chance to bet $5 and get $500 in No Sweat Bets, with a token waiting for you every day for 10 days. — Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026 For now, fans and everyone else in the baseball ecosystem are in the midst of a months-long waiting game until paychecks are on the line. — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 29 Oct. 2026 And now another waiting game, not for the launch but whether LIV survives. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026 Price alerts do the waiting for you, pinging when a listing hits your number. — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026 Up to 20% of rounds are stopped before eggs are ever retrieved, which means more waiting and starting over. — Katherine Pukinskis, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026 That’s a very long, anxious waiting period and is inevitable due to a lack of experts to conduct and interpret test results. — Torie Bosch, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026

Verb

While waiting to form the new government, the election winners have called on prosecutors and judges to start doing their jobs or step down. — Arkansas Online, 4 Nov. 2026 Apparently, a man – and woman – gotta check election results while waiting and watching the three Jonases on stage. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026 The crowd rumbled with excited anticipation waiting for Simmons to enter her celebration at Texas Live! — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026 Because third baseman Graham Pauley is so gifted defensively, the Marlins kept waiting and waiting for his bat to come alive — and stay alive. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026 Rather than waiting for deep slow-wave sleep, the device focuses on the critical sleep-onset phase. — New Atlas, 3 Nov. 2026 However, that did not stop early voters from waiting hours to cast their ballot on Monday. — Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026 In conversation with Vanity Fair, the former 007 talks favorite Christmas traditions, the Burberry Mac he’s kept for years, the art of playing it cool, how filming MobLand shaped his personal style, and the paintings waiting for him in London. — Wengel Gemu, Vanity Fair, 3 Nov. 2026 Michelle Harris, 8th, speak on TV while waiting backstage during a rally to kick off his reelection campaign for a third term as governor at the Grand Crossing Park Field House in Chicago on June 26, 2025. — Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waiting

Noun

But with hundreds of thousands of ballots already returned and hundreds of thousands more moving through the mail over the weekend, the legal fight still could cause delays.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
Kenya’s own top-flight football league and national teams, for instance, have been riddled with challenges ranging from leadership wrangles to payment delays.

— Martin K.N Siele, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of delay

Noun

Breaking the pattern starts with recognizing some of the most common procrastination traps.

— Alexandra Tirado Oropeza, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
According to Singhal, common signs include procrastination, impatience, feeling overwhelmed, and putting off decisions altogether.

— Kriti Kumar, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of procrastination

Noun

Caplin News / Florida International University Part of his hesitation came from questioning whether his vote could influence an election, particularly in presidential races decided through the Electoral College.

— Sabrina Lozano, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
In the fourth quarter against Knicks, Wilson ran up the court in transition, collected a pass at the top of the key and fired off another 3 with the same signature lack of hesitation.

— Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of hesitation

Verb

Much like on Baby Keem’s Ca$ino, another recent rap epic undone by its author’s inability to overcome lingering trauma, BigX can’t always navigate around his unnamed haters.

— Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2026
How relaxing and indulgent, wrapped in a plush bathrobe, lingering over lobster bisque, juicy steak and a bottle of red wine.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of lingering

Noun

In other words, this is a call to trade comfortable indecision (Libra) for a serious plan of action (Capricorn).

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2026
After days of indecision, NASCAR disciplined seven people who participated in the attack on young racing star Corey Heim in front of a concession stand at Martinsville Speedway shortly after the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 on Saturday.

— Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of indecision

Verb

Rarely does a pop album so deftly lay bare the trickery of pop albums, while remaining a compelling pop album in its own right.

— Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
The lawyers also raised the possibility of seeking dismissal of the remaining charge on double jeopardy grounds, arguing that the earlier acquittal could legally bar a second trial on certain issues.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2026