await

verb

ə-ˈwāt 

awaited; awaiting; awaits

transitive verb

1

a

: to wait for

We are awaiting his arrival.

await a decision

b

: to remain in abeyance until

a treaty awaiting ratification

2

: to be in store for

He wonders what awaits him next.

3

obsolete : to lie in wait for

intransitive verb

1

: to stay or be in waiting : wait

The nation awaited as Congress debated the issue.

2

: to be in store

… marched … north to civilization where fame and fortune awaited.

—Tom Marvel

3

obsolete : attend

Synonyms of await

• expect
• anticipate

Examples of await in a Sentence

A crowd of people awaited the train.

We're eagerly awaiting his arrival.

He was arrested and is now in prison awaiting trial.

Her long-awaited new novel is finally being published.

The same fate awaits us all.

Recent Examples on the Web

Longshot is currently awaiting approvals to begin construction on a launch facility near the Tonopah regional airport in Nye County, Nevada. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 24 Nov. 2025

Her fans are anxiously awaiting spring to see where her quixotic quest for a mate takes her next, if anywhere. —Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 23 Nov. 2025

The five who pleaded guilty in their federal case are still awaiting state proceedings. —Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 23 Nov. 2025

Yazid plopped him down, then put his hands in his lap, awaiting events. —Daniyal Mueenuddin, New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French aweiter, aguaiter, from a- (from Latin ad-) + guaiter to watch — more at wait

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Rhymes for await

• abate
• airfreight
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate
• castrate

Kids Definition

await

verb

ə-ˈwāt 

1

: to wait for : expect

await a train

2

: to be ready or waiting for

a reward awaits you