waits 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of wait

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
Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 19 June 2026 The last possibility is the one that strains the current regulatory approach, in which the government waits for a technology to settle before studying its effects and writing rules around them. Craig S. Smith, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 After a wildfire, the optimist waits patiently for the eventual return of squirrels, birds and other forest residents. The Los Angeles Times, Mercury News, 18 June 2026 Another patient, who asked to remain anonymous, reported recent delays in imaging analysis and longer waits to see subspecialists related to breast cancer care. Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2026 As the Miami Heat waits for a final answer from the Milwaukee Bucks on Giannis Antetokounmpo, the start of the NBA Draft nears. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 18 June 2026 While certainly luxe for its location, the focus is still on the adventure that waits just outside. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 June 2026 Regarding FedEx's distribution center, customers may experience a slight delay with mail and packages at the facility due to the fire disruption, as the company waits for local firefighters to ensure the area is safe, according to a statement from FedEx. Noe Padilla, USA Today, 12 June 2026 How foreign fans and a throng of international media will reflect on Kansas City as a result waits to be seen. Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
Noun
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 Make a reservation for dinner—waits can be long during the high summer season. Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 7 June 2026 Visitors can make a free same-day reservation for shorter entry waits or wait in a typically longer standby line. Eve Chen, USA Today, 31 May 2026 Unsurprisingly, sci-fi and fantasy titles that require considerable VFX work tend to be the shows that have the longest waits. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2026 Overnight waits for emergency care The region's emergency rooms offer a stark glimpse of a healthcare system in crisis. Sarah Jane Tribble, NPR, 22 May 2026 All 23 are now, of course, on longer waits than Arsenal. Will Jeanes, New York Times, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waits
Verb
  • And what do these aesthetic hotel stays cost?
    Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 June 2026
  • Interestingly, each family stays within roughly a 25-acre parcel of land.
    Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • The decision was made due to logistical challenges and in hopes of avoiding delays that might derail the negotiation process, one source said.
    Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
  • Emergency officials warned residents and visitors to expect road closures and traffic delays in the area surrounding Madison Square Garden.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • The camera lingers on the characters’ faces, trying to soak up their emotions and reactions.
    Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 17 June 2026
  • The European Commission froze billions of euros in funds for Hungary in response to democratic backsliding led by Orbán, and concern lingers about the damage that can be done when one unhappy government insists on wielding its veto.
    ABC News, ABC News, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • Yet the public reckoning with anti-Zionism still awaits its moment.
    Adam Louis-Klein, The Atlantic, 18 June 2026
  • Quispe leads us to the adobe home of Doña Conchi, our local host for the morning, where breakfast awaits.
    Paola Miglio, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • His trial is currently scheduled to begin in May 2027, though the date remains subject to change, his criminal defense attorney Amber Fayerberg previously confirmed to PEOPLE.
    Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 19 June 2026
  • The Eastern Pacific remains a key corridor for narcotics trafficking, with criminal organizations frequently using small vessels to move drugs toward North America.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Waits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waits. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

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