WAITS Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

waits 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of wait

as in stays

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

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waits

2 of 2

noun

plural of wait

as in delays

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 waits

Verb

And while the work waits, the people it was meant to serve wait, too. — Annette Logan-Parker, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 On the walls, a few pots hang from a copper rod, a dinner bell waits to be jingled, and an ancient clock keeps time. — Elazar Sontag, Washington Post, 2 July 2026 Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 3 July 2026 Long waits and staffing shortages are creating headaches for customers at Denver Department of Motor Vehicles offices. — Jasmine Arenas, CBS News, 25 June 2026 Continue reading … Tune in the country waits for high-stakes rulings from the Supreme Court, including its looming birthright citizenship decision. — FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026 The average person waits nine years after a diagnosis before doing anything about it, even as research ties untreated hearing loss to depression, isolation, falls and higher dementia risk. — Allison Palmer july 1, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026 The Real Cost of Waiting Only one in four adults who could benefit from a hearing aid has ever used one, and the average person waits nine years after a diagnosis before doing anything about it. — Allison Palmer july 1, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026

Noun

At its core, Megawheels believes that children should not be stuck on the sidelines while the outdoors waits. — New Atlas, 23 June 2026 Make a reservation for dinner—waits can be long during the high summer season. — Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 7 June 2026 Powell said China has such operations lined up and planned well in advance and waits for such triggering events. — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 25 June 2026 Healthcare providers are always a reliable resource for patients, but many Medicare beneficiaries face long waits for appointments with doctors. — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 1 July 2026 From a clinical perspective, these shortages have real consequences — long waits, days in an emergency room waiting for a psychiatric bed to open and conditions that worsen while people fall through the cracks. — Cathryn Nacario, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026 Ryerson and Norway aren’t the only ones who will see their long waits end when the largest, most complex World Cup in history kicks off Thursday in Mexico City. — Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2026 Fox News Digital was among the media pool waiting around MSG, and can confirm the waits will likely be long with the enhanced security that involves Secret Service, TSA and likely more when fans will be allowed in the building. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026 Earlier this year, US Travel Association data showed visa interview waits exceeding 12 months in markets including India, Mexico, and Colombia. — Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waits

Verb

The program offers one-on-one coaching with participants beyond the program to ensure the business not only gets off the ground, but also stays afloat.

— Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
And the funnel stays broken, not because the top is too narrow, but because the middle does not work.

— Suyash Karn, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of stays

Noun

Sarah Buck, Chicago Driving has become harder The rapid increase in bike lanes has made driving much more difficult and tedious, with numerous delays due to many streets being reduced to one lane in busy areas.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Standing on the National Mall in the afternoon, before storm delays and fireworks, Donald Rasdall and Betsy Green peered at the history around them.

— Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 5 July 2026

Definition of delays

Verb

While uncertainty lingers over improvements and timetables at LAX, the county’s second-busiest airport is on the brink of big changes.

— Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
After a stormy Fourth of July weekend, Baltimore will begin the week with unsettled weather as a slow-moving system lingers over the region.

— Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2026

Definition of lingers

Verb

After a two-year process, the Diocese of Duluth awaits word from the Vatican on whether Monsignor Joseph Buh — a Slovenian immigrant to the region — could be Minnesota’s first saint, and the nation’s 12th.

— Vivian Wilson, Twin Cities, 8 July 2026
The Belgian federation awaits a decision and explanation from FIFA.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026

Definition of awaits

Verb

Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Europe’s defense industry remains fragmented and constrained by supply chains, bureaucracy, labor shortages and years of underinvestment.

— Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 6 July 2026
Small in size but big on personality, Little Spirit remains one of Atlanta’s most consistently delightful neighborhood cocktail bars.

— Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026