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

Ukraine waits for a post-Trump world For Kyiv, the reaction came before the election. — Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2026 Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune Dave Russell waits for a friend at Cabrini-Green while snoozing on a rusted slide on June 2, 2004. — Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 Lee, emerging from the dark woods beyond McMann’s cabin, gets picked up by a guy who nicknames himself the Boontill Oracle, a do-gooder who waits outside highway bars to give safe rides to local drunks. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026 As an investor at Point72, the hedge fund of billionaire Steve Cohen, Shaffer watched Wall Street turn private fund shares into digital tokens without shortening investors’ waits to cash out. — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026 The department’s administrative case runs on its own timeline under Chapter 302 of the Missouri Revised Statutes while the criminal prosecution moves through court, and neither one waits for the other. — Karen Koehler, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026 But mental health challenges do not pause while the organization waits. — Stephen Sokoler, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Lower reimbursement can mean fewer available physicians, longer waits for appointments, and greater reliance on emergency rooms for routine care. — Nicolette Natale, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026 Further down the line, Karen Johnson waits with a young girl in the passenger seat. — Andrea Lucia, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

Noun

That fact might suggest that any lower turnout caused by long waits or uncounted ballots could benefit Lawler. — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 3 Nov. 2026 At the West Chatham Park polling place, election officials ran out of paper ballots and were unable to immediately get more, spurring hours-long waits. — Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026 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 The rules, expected to take effect in 2027, set shorter waits for people earning above specified thresholds; care workers could still qualify after five years. — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026 For instance, perhaps a managing partner must approve every unusual decision or work waits for leadership input before moving forward. — Raquel Gomes, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026 In the restaurant’s first few weeks, a line for tables stretched down the block, but waits are more manageable now. — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026 Passengers regularly complain on social media about hour-long waits to get into lounges and challenges finding seats once inside. — Liam Scott, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026 Ningbo-Zhoushan yard density had returned to normal after Golden Week, the same Seko update said, although waits still ran one-and-a-half to three days across its terminals. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waits

Verb

Demondice’s voice stays front and center, and the electronic riffs weave through both the percussion and vocals, ensuring the track sounds full outside of the understandably absent sub-bass.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 3 Nov. 2026
Once the chat is locked, new information remembered from subsequent messages stays within the Locked Chats memory area.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of stays

Noun

Sacramento Regional Transit District said a bus bridge has been put in place between the Historic Folsom and Sunrise stations, and that Gold Line passengers should expect delays as crews work to restore service.

— CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
His departure comes as the investigation has shown signs of faltering amid a spate of staff turnovers and delays.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of delays

Verb

Despite how tough the upcoming slate is, some of TCU’s veteran leaders are excited about the opportunity that awaits them this month.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2026
This frontal elevation makes an indelible first impression while only hinting at what awaits inside.

— James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of awaits

Verb

Mandarin Oriental’s Asian heritage still runs through its veins, so its dedication to care, service, and attention to detail remains.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
Despite Newsom’s push to commute all death sentences, capital punishment remains legal in California and prosecutors can continue seeking that punishment.

— Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026