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
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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
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Recent Examples of waits
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
The longer that Florida State waits to fire Norvell, the shorter the time the head coach has to look for a new job.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Halloween may be just barely in the rearview, but the holiday season waits for no one.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Helm waits around for the skies to clear.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
Electric and natural gas companies are usually regulated by the state and can be told not to shut people off while the state waits to receive its share of the LIHEAP money, Wolfe said.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2025
At the ripe young age of 95, Buffett still waits for worthwhile investment opportunities.
—Steve Booren, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
The world waits for a compelling example of humanoid robots saving a customer money in a defensible way.
—Jeff Mahler, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Compiled annually by a group led by Franklin Leonard, a recipient of a Gotham tribute award this year, Variety waits with childlike anticipation each year to see which scripts film executives have really been buzzing over — but haven’t had the budget or the chutzpah to put into production just yet.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 10 Dec. 2024
Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Although crowding issues have improved since American Express restricted Centurion guest access, there are often still long waits.
—Lori Zaino, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
Walz’s office said that could lead to longer waits for reimbursements.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 29 Oct. 2025
First, summertime is by far the busiest season, and because everything is cooked fresh to order, waits can sometimes be long.
—Abby Price, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
For Caribbean food, head to O’Niel Caribbean Kitchen, where treats like saltfish fritters or balchi fish balls are worth the inevitably long waits for a table.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 20 Oct. 2025
While Rising waits to be served a burger and fries on a disposable plate, Brady Smigiel walks toward the quad.
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
For people who live in and around Tucson, flights with connections in Phoenix allow flyers access to what Sky Harbor has to offer without dealing with longer waits for check-in and security and enduring the metro area's traffic, said Austin Wright, spokesman for the Tucson Airport Authority.
—Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 14 Oct. 2025
The charity’s Adoptober campaign aims to encourage people to open their homes to long-stay animals, particularly large breeds like Ralph who often face longer waits for adoption.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
The longer that Florida State waits to fire Norvell, the shorter the time the head coach has to look for a new job.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
Halloween may be just barely in the rearview, but the holiday season waits for no one.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Helm waits around for the skies to clear.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
Electric and natural gas companies are usually regulated by the state and can be told not to shut people off while the state waits to receive its share of the LIHEAP money, Wolfe said.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 2 Nov. 2025
At the ripe young age of 95, Buffett still waits for worthwhile investment opportunities.
—Steve Booren, Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2025
The world waits for a compelling example of humanoid robots saving a customer money in a defensible way.
—Jeff Mahler, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Compiled annually by a group led by Franklin Leonard, a recipient of a Gotham tribute award this year, Variety waits with childlike anticipation each year to see which scripts film executives have really been buzzing over — but haven’t had the budget or the chutzpah to put into production just yet.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport warned travelers of up to three-hour waits for security screening this week.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
Although crowding issues have improved since American Express restricted Centurion guest access, there are often still long waits.
—Lori Zaino, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
Walz’s office said that could lead to longer waits for reimbursements.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 29 Oct. 2025
First, summertime is by far the busiest season, and because everything is cooked fresh to order, waits can sometimes be long.
—Abby Price, Southern Living, 22 Oct. 2025
For Caribbean food, head to O’Niel Caribbean Kitchen, where treats like saltfish fritters or balchi fish balls are worth the inevitably long waits for a table.
—Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 20 Oct. 2025
While Rising waits to be served a burger and fries on a disposable plate, Brady Smigiel walks toward the quad.
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
For people who live in and around Tucson, flights with connections in Phoenix allow flyers access to what Sky Harbor has to offer without dealing with longer waits for check-in and security and enduring the metro area's traffic, said Austin Wright, spokesman for the Tucson Airport Authority.
—Michael Salerno, AZCentral.com, 14 Oct. 2025
The charity’s Adoptober campaign aims to encourage people to open their homes to long-stay animals, particularly large breeds like Ralph who often face longer waits for adoption.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waits
Verb
-
The couple that superheroes together stays together?—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Nov. 2025
-
They’re made with a breathable satin material that stays cool throughout the night and have a side zipper to keep them from slipping off pillows.—
Rylee Johnston,
PEOPLE,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Major delays at airports across the country continue to persist due to staffing issues in air traffic controller towers and centers.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
8 Nov. 2025
-
After the modems were shut off in 2021, Forlini said, each community had to bring in the memory sticks in the tabulators to the county elections department for uploading, which brought delays in reporting unofficial results.—
Christina Hall,
Freep.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Light snow lingers into the evening.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Nov. 2025
-
But beverages that contain THC don’t hit like alcohol, instead causing a sensation that’s more like a slow exhale that lingers just long enough to make the room feel softer, the music warmer and your friends a little funnier.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Each fall, a unique prize awaits in its Black Creek currents; the creek is one of only a handful of spots in the state where fly-fisherman can cast for rainbow trout.—
Jennifer Stewart Kornegay,
Southern Living,
4 Nov. 2025
-
The Israeli titles include Netalie Braun’s Oxygen, about a single mother who awaits her son’s army discharge, and Shai Carmeli-Pollak’s The Sea, which tells the story of a Palestinian boy who tries to reach the Mediterranean Sea for the first time in his life.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
At this time, the containment status is unknown and the cause of the fire remains undetermined.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Four years on, the diatribe remains the same.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Waits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waits. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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