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
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of waits
Paulina Likos,zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
As Irma, who painfully waits for news of the fate of her family, Gardner embodies the agony — her performance is a quiet, simmering slow burn that shows both despair and hope.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Everyone moves up, then stands and waits for the next surge.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
In Puerto Rico, everyone just puts up tents, waits 10 minutes, and keeps going.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
Hourslong waits and flight cancellations continued at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday, as the partial government shutdown and storms wreak havoc on air travel.
—Kelly Yamanouchi, AJC.com, 17 Mar. 2026
The longer Congress waits, Smetters warned, the narrower the range of available solutions becomes.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026
In the general admission line, everyone waits together.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
The world waits for a compelling example of humanoid robots saving a customer money in a defensible way.
—Jeff Mahler, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Some families have described poor food and long waits for medical attention.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
However, long waits to access shelter or see a mental health professional, along with workforce shortages, already limit access.
—Kaelyn Lara, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
Lines for security Monday morning topped four hours long, with some passengers reporting waits even longer, forcing airport officials to stop keeping an official wait time count visible inside the airport and on the webite.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Security lines overflowed from the terminal in the early morning, then shrank to minimal waits later in the morning.
—Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 24 Mar. 2026
The shutdowns happened during long waits for travelers due to the busy spring break travel season and a shortage of Transportation Security Administration officers because of a lack of routine funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
—Jake Offenhartz, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
More drivers chasing fewer deliveries means longer waits for tasks.
—Andrew Garin, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Some Epic visitors have complained about hours-long waits for major rides, particularly Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, a dark ride in the park’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter area.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio.
—Paulina Likos,zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
As Irma, who painfully waits for news of the fate of her family, Gardner embodies the agony — her performance is a quiet, simmering slow burn that shows both despair and hope.
—Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Everyone moves up, then stands and waits for the next surge.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Mar. 2026
In Puerto Rico, everyone just puts up tents, waits 10 minutes, and keeps going.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
Hourslong waits and flight cancellations continued at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday, as the partial government shutdown and storms wreak havoc on air travel.
—Kelly Yamanouchi, AJC.com, 17 Mar. 2026
The longer Congress waits, Smetters warned, the narrower the range of available solutions becomes.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026
In the general admission line, everyone waits together.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 13 Mar. 2026
The world waits for a compelling example of humanoid robots saving a customer money in a defensible way.
—Jeff Mahler, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
Comfort can be hard to find in the past month, as the partial government shutdown has more and more TSA agents calling out of work, leading to long waits to get through security.
—Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Some families have described poor food and long waits for medical attention.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
However, long waits to access shelter or see a mental health professional, along with workforce shortages, already limit access.
—Kaelyn Lara, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026
Lines for security Monday morning topped four hours long, with some passengers reporting waits even longer, forcing airport officials to stop keeping an official wait time count visible inside the airport and on the webite.
—Irene Wright, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026
Security lines overflowed from the terminal in the early morning, then shrank to minimal waits later in the morning.
—Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 24 Mar. 2026
The shutdowns happened during long waits for travelers due to the busy spring break travel season and a shortage of Transportation Security Administration officers because of a lack of routine funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
—Jake Offenhartz, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
More drivers chasing fewer deliveries means longer waits for tasks.
—Andrew Garin, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Some Epic visitors have complained about hours-long waits for major rides, particularly Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, a dark ride in the park’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter area.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waits
Verb
-
In larger groups especially, that voice often stays quiet.—
Jane Sadowsky,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Its FlowState Stabilization and 360-degree Horizon Lock ensure your footage stays level and buttery-smooth without a gimbal, while the Invisible Selfie Stick effect enables impossible third-person views.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This time, however, travelers are already facing long lines and delays due to the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has left thousands of TSA workers without pay.—
De'Anthony Taylor,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Mar. 2026
-
How soon will this help with airport delays?—
John Raby,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Dogs run freely in the green meadows and forests, where the smell of cooking fires lingers in the air and cottonwood seeds blanket dirt roads crisscrossing the site.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Ocean carriers have largely dropped their plans to return to the Red Sea as the conflict lingers.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The bill awaits Kotek’s signature.—
Conrad Wilson,
ProPublica,
25 Mar. 2026
-
As of early 2026, the industry still awaits news of Vitale’s next move—but in the meantime, the pieces speak for themselves.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Following the money While much of the money’s final destination remains unclear, the documents offer glimpses into how some of it was spent.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
That Smith’s work remains little-known is all the more baffling considering the strength and depth of a retrospective now up at Keith de Lellis.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waits. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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