as in delay
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as in staying
to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something
please wait here, and we'll seat you shortly
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Recent Examples of waiting
Todd Spangler, Variety, 10 June 2026
The courtrooms are located on the top floors of a building that has other offices, and there's minimal signage and waiting areas.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 10 June 2026
Today, the experiment can be watched online, turning one of the slowest events in science into a kind of global waiting game.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 9 June 2026
David Fried, owner of Elmore Roots Fruit Tree Nursery, says bare-root tart cherry trees typically flower and produce fruit within their first or second year, significantly reducing the waiting time for gardeners.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 9 June 2026
There’s more than a grand waiting for you.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
For many of the Knicks fans who attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, buying tickets was a waiting game.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026
Or at least, there’s no waiting for a response.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 June 2026
By the end of 2025 — after years of waiting, worrying and hoping — Kizzy gave birth to a baby boy.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
Stephen Smith, CBS News, 11 June 2026
That doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of backlash waiting.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2026
The Royals are still waiting for the power to take hold.
—Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
The kind of small improvements that once required logging a ticket, waiting for triage and consuming an engineer’s full attention can now be kicked off asynchronously and reviewed in minutes.
—Scott Breitenother, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Inez Caldwell was waiting at the bus stop in the 5500 block of East Lancaster Avenue when Hayes’ pickup hit her on a Saturday afternoon in July 2025.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 June 2026
Congress could also intervene, Budington said, by passing legislation that allows a private right of action after data breaches, allowing victims to pursue cases directly instead of relying on state laws or waiting for state attorneys general to take up a case.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2026
For four years, Lockport residents Ray and Shelly Romolt have stared out their window at an empty lot, waiting for the day developers would transform it into a home for new neighbors.
—Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2026
In 2023, a Brazilian university student died while waiting for a brutally hot concert by the pop star.
—Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 4 June 2026
Noun
Separately on Wednesday, Paramount said in an SEC filing that on June 9, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) approved the Paramount-WBD merger may be consummated, subject to expiration of a 14-calendar day waiting period that expires June 23, 2026.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 10 June 2026
The courtrooms are located on the top floors of a building that has other offices, and there's minimal signage and waiting areas.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 10 June 2026
Today, the experiment can be watched online, turning one of the slowest events in science into a kind of global waiting game.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 9 June 2026
David Fried, owner of Elmore Roots Fruit Tree Nursery, says bare-root tart cherry trees typically flower and produce fruit within their first or second year, significantly reducing the waiting time for gardeners.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 9 June 2026
There’s more than a grand waiting for you.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
For many of the Knicks fans who attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, buying tickets was a waiting game.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 8 June 2026
Or at least, there’s no waiting for a response.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 June 2026
By the end of 2025 — after years of waiting, worrying and hoping — Kizzy gave birth to a baby boy.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026
Verb
Employees had been waiting for an all-clear as hazmat teams worked to confirm the cause.
—Stephen Smith, CBS News, 11 June 2026
That doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of backlash waiting.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2026
The Royals are still waiting for the power to take hold.
—Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
The kind of small improvements that once required logging a ticket, waiting for triage and consuming an engineer’s full attention can now be kicked off asynchronously and reviewed in minutes.
—Scott Breitenother, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Inez Caldwell was waiting at the bus stop in the 5500 block of East Lancaster Avenue when Hayes’ pickup hit her on a Saturday afternoon in July 2025.
—Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 June 2026
Congress could also intervene, Budington said, by passing legislation that allows a private right of action after data breaches, allowing victims to pursue cases directly instead of relying on state laws or waiting for state attorneys general to take up a case.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2026
For four years, Lockport residents Ray and Shelly Romolt have stared out their window at an empty lot, waiting for the day developers would transform it into a home for new neighbors.
—Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2026
In 2023, a Brazilian university student died while waiting for a brutally hot concert by the pop star.
—Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 4 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waiting
Noun
-
This story will be updated as more delays and closures are announced.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
12 Dec. 2025
-
The mutation can result in childhood-onset epilepsy, developmental delays and movement disorders, according to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.—
Vicky Nguyen,
NBC news,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The challenge for Beckham will be staying healthy during a rigorous training camp after being out of the league for over a year.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
That was a fun one, with both teams staying aggressive throughout the match.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
The low-pressure gatherings taking place in coffee shops, accommodating bars and private homes are intended to turn tedious and procrastination-inducing adult responsibilities into productive time with a twist.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
-
Read the Bee’s full guide to Election Day procrastination here.—
Camryn Dadey,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Before being found not guilty by a jury in October 2025, Joshua George spent nearly four years behind bars awaiting trial, facing the possibility of the death penalty if convicted.—
Erika Stanish,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
The deal is awaiting regulatory approval, but officials in several state states recently announced plans to try to block the merger.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
That hesitation to ride in an AV, however, is highly dependent on the specific situation, the study found.—
Ed Garsten,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
The Chicago Board of Education renewed the contracts with six charter school operators Wednesday, despite recent hesitations from some board members about approving long-term agreements after a slew of financial troubles in the sector.—
Kate Perez,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Inventories are unlikely to fully rebuild given the scale of draws in the first half-year and ongoing government stockpiling, the bank said, while lingering geopolitical risk premium would keep a floor under prices.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
16 June 2026
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Southern Living also noted that local tourism officials are encouraging visitors to return to the region, as many businesses remain open and rely on tourism dollars despite lingering perceptions that the area is still closed following Hurricane Helene.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
That last-minute indecision led to an inexplicable brick, the ball sailing off Hart’s fingertips and off the back of the iron, bouncing harmlessly back into Fox’s hands.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
-
But with all the indecision of this primary election, many were finding comfort in delivering their votes in person.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Any remaining threats will clear out of the Midwest Thursday and shift into the East.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
-
Wipe the remaining interior with a wet, non-abrasive sponge to remove any residue, then dry with a clean cloth.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waiting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waiting. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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