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Definitions

wait

[weyt] / weɪt /
NOUN
pause, delay
Synonyms
STRONGEST
interval
STRONG
down downtime halt hold interim rest stay
WEAK
holdup on hold time wasted
Antonyms
STRONG
continuation go
WEAK
act doing
VERB
pause, rest
Synonyms
STRONGEST
await delay expect hang linger remain stand by stay stick around watch
STRONG
abide anticipate bide dally foresee stall tarry
WEAK
bide one's time cool it fill time hang around hang onto your hat hang out hold back hold everything hold on hold the phone hole up keep shirt on lie in wait lie low look for look forward to mark time put on hold save it sit tight sit up for stay up for sweat it
Antonyms
STRONGEST
advance go hurry leave rush
STRONG
carry on move
WEAK
carry out do forge forward go ahead

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I will not wait for the circus to move onto its next clown.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

Customer-service operations still rely heavily on underpaid and poorly trained humans, leading to general dissatisfaction across all service metrics, including wait times and repeat calls, with consumers increasingly resorting to equally unsatisfactory self-service alternatives.

From MarketWatch • May 11, 2026

But I’m glad we are — and I can’t wait to report back on what’ll be worth debating until spring 2027.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026

Currently, Edinburgh Airport's drop-off fee is £6 while the short-stay terminal car park costs £7 for up to 15 minutes wait time and £14 for 30 minutes.

From BBC • May 11, 2026

Presumably I was to wait for a superior officer to come in—a final training, or at least a debriefing of instructions before I was assigned a permanent duty station.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Vocabulary lists containing wait

Spelling Practice 1, Unit 3

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