WAITING Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

waiting 1 of 2

noun

as in delay

Related Words

Relevance

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

Ohioans voted in favor of a similar amendment in 2023, but state Republicans keep passing bills that enact further restrictions, like a 24-hour waiting period. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 15 July 2026 There is no fresh food, either, or access to adequate medicine, or clean water; the water that runs from the spigot and into the girl’s waiting bucket is cloudy and contaminated. — Literary Hub, 14 July 2026 All that waiting gave Dunston, whose contract with the Cubs was for one more season, plenty of time to think about his future. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026 But, for older men with no pain or discomfort, doctors may suggest watchful waiting, delaying surgery until the need is clear. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026 The carrier said the average waiting time of Gemini Cooperation vessels docking at Shanghai jumped from an average of approximately 24 to 48 hours as of May 22, to a 60-hour waiting average by June 30. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 8 July 2026 Leandro Trossard got the assist, bending a perfect back-post cross from the end line to his waiting teammate. — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 Eventually, one by one, the distinguished company slipped back into waiting motorcades. — Bryan West, USA Today, 7 July 2026 Unlike the Heat’s waiting game with James in 2014, the Heat’s 2026-27 roster this time is largely set, with the acquisitions of Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to be made official Monday, as will be the free-agent signing of Tim Hardaway Jr. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026

Verb

Do not let pasta sit in the sink waiting for the condimento to be ready or for your family and friends to sit down at the table or open a bottle of wine or feed the dog while your pasta sits, dying, in a colander. — Carolynn Carreño, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026 In years when the contract is due to be renewed, the waiting period can get tense as fears that the convention will leave San Diego often surface when organizers demand new concessions from hoteliers and the city. — Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 July 2026 Instead of waiting for the teacher to master the task, the Georgia Tech team trained the teacher and student together. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026 That's right, everybody just keeps waiting for something to give, for some unknown company — from China? — Jim Cramer, Contributor, CNBC, 16 July 2026 Because the seven miles between Texas 114 and Old Justin Road don’t have frontage roads, when a car crash happens, drivers are stuck waiting until the collision gets cleared. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026 Riley, like the rest of the basketball world, is still waiting to learn what James’ next move will be. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026 When major disasters strike, Americans are routinely waiting weeks — or even months — to receive presidential approval for aid. — David A. Lieb, Fortune, 16 July 2026 Golden State, like the rest of the NBA, is waiting to see where James lands for his 24th season while turning 42 in December. — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 9 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waiting

Noun

That delay is reportedly due to the model’s coding capabilities, in particular, were short of internal expectations.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 17 July 2026
Odysseus even implies that his delay in getting home might have as much to do with a guilty conscience as with intervening gods or the enchanting sorceress named Calypso.

— Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Definition of delay

Verb

Sheikh Hamad used gas revenue to give a set of actors who distrust one another a direct stake in Qatar staying open and useful.

— Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
So far, Antonelli seems to be staying focused, even as Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton threaten Mercedes' supremacy.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 July 2026

Definition of staying

Noun

Overthinking and procrastination are two of the habits people confess to most readily and blame on themselves most harshly, and two of the habits most often misread.

— Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
But those days of procrastination are coming to an end, and some lawmakers are facing up to that reality.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 28 June 2026

Definition of procrastination

Noun

Ndoye didn't shoot on his first touch of the ball, though, and that slight hesitation to control the ball and gather for a shot left just enough time for Argentina to swoop in to block the shot.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 12 July 2026
Every moment of hesitation risks a delay in medical treatment or gives a suspect extra time to escape.

— N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Definition of hesitation

Noun

And Anne Hathaway, in a bravura performance, situates Penelope on an emotional precipice, caught between indecision and indignation, between yearning for her husband and a palpable disgust with the alternatives.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
Changing an opinion without evidence may be indecision, but changing it because the facts, valuation, or probability of success have shifted is discipline.

— Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026

Definition of indecision

Cite this Entry

Style

“Waiting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waiting. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of waiting

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on waiting

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dog days

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes