await

American  

[uh-wayt] / əˈweɪt /

verb (used with object)

• awaits,
  present (3rd person singular)
• awaited,
  past participle,  past
• awaiting
  present participle

1. to wait for; expect; look for.

   He is still awaiting an answer.

2. to be in store for; be imminent.

   A pleasant surprise awaits her in today's mail.

3. Obsolete. to lie in wait for.

---

verb (used without object)

• awaits,
  present (3rd person singular)
• awaited,
  past participle,  past
• awaiting
  present participle

1. to wait, as in expectation.

await British  

/ əˈweɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to wait for; expect

2. (tr) to be in store for

3. (intr) to wait, esp with expectation

4. obsolete (tr) to wait for in order to ambush

---

Usage

What are other ways to say await?

To await something is to wait for it or look for it expectantly. How is await different from anticipate, hope, and expect? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• awaiter
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• awaiting
  present
• awaited
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• await
  simple
• awaits
  simple
• have awaited
  perfect
• has awaited
  perfect
• am awaiting
  progressive
• are awaiting
  progressive
• is awaiting
  progressive
• have been awaiting
  perfect progressive
• has been awaiting
  perfect progressive

Past

• awaited
  simple
• had awaited
  perfect
• was awaiting
  progressive
• were awaiting
  progressive
• had been awaiting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will await
  simple
• will have awaited
  perfect
• will be awaiting
  progressive
• will have been awaiting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of await

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English awaiten, from Old North French awaitier (Old French aguaitier ), equivalent to a- a- ⁵ + waitier wait

Explanation

To await is to anticipate or look forward to something. If you're hoping to get a letter from your pen pal, you'll eagerly await the mail carrier's arrival every afternoon. When you await a phone call, you might sit by the telephone at home or keep your cell phone in your hand. A prisoner who awaits trial is biding his time until his case comes before a judge. Sometimes await implies that some particular outcome is in store for someone: "A terrible surprise awaits her, when she gets home and sees that her dog ate the sofa."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

await awaits awaited awaiting

“Trading on a FY27 yield of 5.4%, we continue to await a more attractive entry point,” Jefferies says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Taking the episode full circle, they each laid in a coffin, just as Winkleman had, to await their fate.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

Then, in safer waters, national or third-party vessels await for ship-to-ship transfers from the convoys to then sail to the buyer’s final destinations.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026

There is water from the left of the tee, while bunkers await players attempting to play safely towards the right.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

‘Aragorn shall come with me. Let the others await us at the foot of the stairs. They will hear and see enough, if there is anything to hear or see.’

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Although the Earth encounter required extensive preparation, it is relatively simple compared with what awaits Juice at Jupiter.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026

“The only real news is that Sean continues to serve his sentence within the rules and he patiently awaits the court’s decision on his appeal.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026

The prize that awaits is the possibility of batteries made in the US with 100% US-sourced materials.

From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026

Trump’s new nominee, Keith Sonderling, who worked at the Labor Department in the first Trump administration, awaits Senate approval.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

It was the despair that any halfway brings, with the knowledge that everything you’ve gone through awaits again.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

BBC Sport understands the WBA 'Super' heavyweight title is expected to be on the line, although confirmation from the governing body is still awaited.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Ten-year U.K. government bond yields rose 1.2 basis points to 5.307% as investors also awaited a decision by the Bank of England at 1100 GMT, where rates are expected to be left on hold.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

As investigators awaited the results of the DNA test, they gathered circumstantial evidence.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

But planes and helicopters needed to evacuate became stuck in the desert sand and needed to be destroyed while special forces awaited a backup rescue crew.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

But now she thought she would not live to see this patiently awaited day.

From "Go Tell It on the Mountain" by James Baldwin

Investors are now nervously awaiting an October 23 decision by Moody's on France's sovereign credit rating, as a downgrade would automatically raise the government's borrowing costs further.

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

It’s the kind of moment where everyone in the room knows what’s next and everyone is eagerly awaiting for the action to commence.

From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026

The sheriff, now awaiting the delivery of two new squad cars that will be paid for with DHS funds, couldn’t be happier.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

They are awaiting confirmation as Garelick repeatedly checks his texts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

We carried our few belongings up the stairs to the one-room apartment awaiting us.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

Related Words

• anticipate
• attend
• count on
• stay