waiting game

American  

noun

1. a stratagem in which action on a matter is reserved for or postponed to a later time, allowing one to wait for a more advantageous time to act or to see what develops in the meantime.

---

waiting game British  

noun

1. the postponement of action or decision in order to gain the advantage

---

waiting game Idioms  

1. see play a waiting game.

---

Etymology

Origin of waiting game

First recorded in 1885–90

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

waiting game

The vans belong to young Israeli squatters who play their own waiting game, smoking cigarettes and milling about.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

This means that Salcido has committed herself to a waiting game before she gets her money, with an element of risk on top – she needs the business to continue to be successful.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026

"Markets pulled back across Europe as the waiting game to end the Iran war rumbled on," said Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell.

From Barron's ● May 21, 2026

"It's a waiting game and there's not really much we can do about it," she added.

From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026

Then I relaxed a bit; work had to be done and I would play the waiting game.

From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---