waiting list

American  

noun

1. a list of persons waiting, as for reservations, appointments, living accommodations, or admission to a school.

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waiting list British  

noun

1. a list of people waiting to obtain some object, treatment, status, etc

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Etymology

Origin of waiting list

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

There’s a waiting list via Coachella itself and there’s also an official resale market and secondary sellers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

As demand grows for vaccines at pharmacies, Boots has implemented a queuing system and Superdrug has formed a waiting list for jabs.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

The national waiting list for non-life-threatening procedures has almost reached 100,000, including more than 11,000 children, the government says.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

By far the biggest factor in admission, however, is whether an applicant has matriculated from another magnet school and how long an applicant has been on the waiting list for a magnet school.

From Salon • Mar. 10, 2026

She was in her seventh year on a waiting list for a subsidized one-bedroom apartment in the adjacent Williamsburg neighborhood.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Related Words

• short list
• standby