1
as in space
an indefinite but usually short period of time
we stayed at the fair for a while longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in effort
the active use of energy in producing a result
it's not worth my while to fix it, so we'll get a new one
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in when
at or during the time that
pay attention while I'm explaining how the new phone system works
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of while
Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026
Vertical Aerospace has scored a world-first as its full-scale tilt-rotor eVTOL completed a two-way piloted transition between vertical helicopter mode and horizontal airplane mode during a single continuous flight while under regulatory oversight.
—David Szondy
april 17, New Atlas, 17 Apr. 2026
Exchanging bibs with another marathoner has become more common while also carrying far-reaching consequences, Mann said.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
For a while, the streaming boom’s overall content spend masked this downturn.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for while
Noun
While personal fans have been a fashionable accessory since before the Victorian era, the category has been stifled by a lack of innovation for a while.
—Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026
Vertical Aerospace has scored a world-first as its full-scale tilt-rotor eVTOL completed a two-way piloted transition between vertical helicopter mode and horizontal airplane mode during a single continuous flight while under regulatory oversight.
—David Szondy
april 17, New Atlas, 17 Apr. 2026
Exchanging bibs with another marathoner has become more common while also carrying far-reaching consequences, Mann said.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
For a while, the streaming boom’s overall content spend masked this downturn.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for while
Recent Examples of Synonyms for while
Noun
-
By combining the material with airy grasses and perennials, Grace has designed a soft-looking, drought-tolerant space that's also easygoing.—
Elizabeth Jardina,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Apr. 2026
-
On many systems, deleting them merely removes their addresses from a registry, freeing the space to be overwritten.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Limited production, self-distribution, and low visibility can all play a role, and without intentional effort to build demand and relationships, their wines can remain just as absent from local lists.—
Maryam Ahmed,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
22 Apr. 2026
-
To write a poem requires effort, art, inspiration.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For Rory McIlroy, the trek toward getting a second Masters championship got a little bit harder.—
Rod Beard,
AJC.com,
12 Apr. 2026
-
For whatever sprinkling of sociopathy that Quinn might have, seeing her dead best friend’s daughter, who looks just like her best friend, standing in front of her cracks through a little bit.—
Max Gao,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Barnes and Imam had been trading ideas with a scholar named Andrew Willard Jones, whose work focussed on the model of Christendom found in, say, High Middle Ages France, where society was organized around its relationship with the Church.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Sara Doody Mid-Century Lift-Top Coffee Table Apartment dwellers will love this space-saving coffee table with a convenient lift-top that doubles as a kitchen table and work desk.—
Ali Faccenda,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Conjunction
-
But scientists and doctors say things aren’t that simple — and a belief that exposing children to marijuana, either directly or indirectly, is harmless isn’t supported by the facts.—
Daniel M. Jimenez,
The Cannifornian,
22 June 2017
-
But with a full and volatile season behind them, the two have grown closer, prompting check-ins from Bradford last month, seeking tidbits from his coach who watched OTA practices on a tablet from his Kentucky retreat.—
Chad Graff,
Twin Cities,
15 June 2017
Cite this Entry
“While.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/while. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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