Synonyms of waits

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stays
• lingers
• awaits
• remains
• bides
• holds on
• sits tight
• expects
• cools one's heels
• holds one's breath
• bides one's time
• hangs around
• tarries
• sticks around
• stands by
• anticipates
• watches (for)

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

• delays
• pauses
• holdups
• setbacks
• detentions
• postponements
• hesitations
• holding patterns
• respites
• detainments
• deferrals
• lags
• holdbacks
• deferments
• slowdowns
• reprieves
• foot-draggings

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rushes
• dispatches
• hastes
• promptitudes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of waits

Verb

But if an application still waits for separate handoffs among sales, credit, compliance, and operations, the customer may see little improvement. — David Pralong, Fortune, 1 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

In the film, Jasper dies after Bangley waits until the last minute to pick off some invaders that target Hig and his dog. — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026

The venture team owns the company relationship, the infrastructure team waits for scale, and the credit team waits for operating history. — Rob Day, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

The grey area here is how long the referee waits before starting the countdown. — Graham Scott, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

The federal agency normally waits until all of the yearly data is reported to suggest a drop in crime. — ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026

Under a communications blackout, a rover team that waits for its commands from Earth has to stop. — Wanjiku Chebet Kanjumba, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026

Noun

Instead, that would have to wait a few months longer, after a gantlet of inspections that included long waits was finally finished. — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 2026

The need to be liked makes brands write polished statements aimed at everyone watching while the person actually affected waits. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Berth congestion and yard density remain elevated across the port’s Yangshan and Waigaoqiao terminals, with waits sometimes running six-to-eight days. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026

Firefighters repeatedly reported long waits The Station 30 records are not isolated. — Brian Maass, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026

The process, which recycles optical glass waste product, is a visceral and sensory practice, and speed and movement are key—malleable molten glass waits for no one. — Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026

Another common argument is that single-payer systems are inherently inefficient, as evidenced ostensibly by long waits for treatment suffered by patients in single-payer countries such as Canada. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

The waits have been particularly long in parts of Mississippi and Louisiana, where federal judges have usually taken three months or more to decide whether a detainee should be released. — Carla Astudillo, ProPublica, 3 Sep. 2026

Others complained that Springfield was not prepared to welcome so many immigrants, who contributed to long waits at clinics and were driving up rental prices. — Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026