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

• 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

US sources had told AFP the deal was waiting on Trump's sign-off, but the president had made no decision after a two-hour meeting in the White House Situation Room on Friday in Washington.

From Barron's • May 30, 2026

The show closes with Ava and Deborah as the best of friends, enjoying croissants while waiting for a train at Paris’ Gare de Lyon.

From Salon • May 29, 2026

Djokovic can never be ruled out of becoming the oldest major men's singles champion in the Open Era, but Father Time has been sat waiting on Djokovic's shoulder for a good while.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

The opening has caused anxiety among the city’s business leaders, who are waiting to hear how that will translate into actual policy.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Hastily I rinsed off the soap and followed the soldier back to the waiting room.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• accessible
• apt
• handy
• qualified
• ripe