Showing Results for "waiting"

See Also:

• present participle of wait.

waiting

American  

[wey-ting] / ˈweɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. a period of waiting; pause, interval, or delay.

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adjective

1. serving or being in attendance.

   waiting man;

   waiting maid;

   waiting woman.

idioms

1. in waiting, in attendance, as upon a royal personage.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• waitingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of waiting

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English (noun); see wait, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Explanation

The act of standing by without acting as you anticipate a future event or time is waiting. Waiting can be agonizing, especially waiting for something vitally important, like election results — or your birthday. The word waiting is a noun used for a kind of action that's characterized by inaction or delay: "Generations of waiting produced no change in a city's discriminatory policies, so citizens planned a protest march." It's also a useful adjective, for things like waiting rooms, waiting lists, and waiting periods. In the old days the word was also used for certain servants, lords or ladies "in waiting" who waited on their employers.

Example Sentences

Since May, Caitlin has taken part in another drug trial for Bleximenib and is waiting to see whether her body responds.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

Afterwards, I sat in the waiting area and enjoyed a cold turmeric citrus juice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

During what she calls her favorite afternoon on any set, the four of them were waiting to go on, when someone suggested they name the ways they’ve died on screen.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

I don’t enjoy waiting for important information, but I like that California wants people to vote.

From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026

He’s focused on the street outside, waiting for Dad’s car to come around the corner.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Related Words

• accessible
• apt
• handy
• qualified
• ripe