wait up
Britishverb
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to delay going to bed in order to await some event
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informal to halt and pause in order that another person may catch up
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Postpone going to bed in anticipation of someone or something, as in My parents always wait up until I get home, no matter how late it is . [Mid-1800s]
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Stop or pause so that another can catch up, as in Let's wait up for the stragglers , or Don't walk so fast; wait up for me . [ Colloquial ]
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.
Depending on the state, a company might have to wait up to nine days to report the theft to police.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026
"Delays are more frequent than last year. I've had to wait up to seven hours for American clients," he said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
Some mothers can wait up to six months for assessment and up to a year for one-to-one treatment, according to a 2024 report by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2025
Other times, she might wait up to an hour to use a dirty toilet shared with thousands of other people.
From New York Times ● Feb. 24, 2024
I’d give the girls their nightly bath but delay bedtime so that they could wait up to give their dad a hug.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
