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

keep someone waiting, waiting in the wings, waiting on someone hand and foot

waiting game, waiting list, waiting period

Formal and Informal Expressions of waiting

In different contexts, you can replace 'waiting' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'delay, pause' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'hang around, kill time' is a commonplace synonym.

waiting: Explore its Definition & Usage

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

Synonyms for waiting

Antonyms for waiting

Idioms Using waiting

keep someone waiting
to cause someone to wait for a long time
Example
He kept me waiting for over an hour before he finally showed up.
waiting in the wings
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.
waiting on someone hand and foot
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

waiting game
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.
waiting list
a list of people who are waiting to do something or receive something
Example
There's a long waiting list for the new iPhone.
waiting period
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.