waiting

[ˈweɪtɪŋ]

waiting Definition

  • 1the action of staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or until something else happens
  • 2the time spent by someone waiting

Using waiting: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "waiting" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    I'm tired of waiting for the bus.

  • Example

    The waiting room was full of people.

  • Example

    We had a long waiting period before the concert started.

waiting Synonyms and Antonyms

Antonyms for waiting

Idioms Using waiting

  • to cause someone to wait for a long time

    Example

    He kept me waiting for over an hour before he finally showed up.

  • to be ready and prepared to take action or assume a position of importance

    Example

    The vice president has been waiting in the wings for years, ready to take over if the president resigns.

  • to serve someone's every need or desire

    Example

    She expected her personal assistant to wait on her hand and foot, but he quit after a week.

Phrases with waiting

  • a situation in which one person or group delays making a decision or taking action until the other person or group does something first

    Example

    The two countries are playing a waiting game, each hoping the other will make the first move.

  • a list of people who are waiting to do something or receive something

    Example

    There's a long waiting list for the new iPhone.

  • a period of time during which nothing happens or no progress is made

    Example

    There was a waiting period of several weeks before we heard back from the job interview.

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Summary: waiting in Brief

The term 'waiting' [ˈweɪtɪŋ] refers to the act of staying put or delaying action until a specific time or event. It also denotes the time spent waiting, as in 'The waiting room was full of people.' Phrases like 'waiting game' and 'waiting list' describe situations where people delay action or wait for something to happen. Idioms like 'keep someone waiting' and 'waiting in the wings' describe the experience of waiting, while 'waiting on someone hand and foot' describes serving someone's every need.