waiting period

American  

noun

1. a specified delay, required by law, between officially stating an intention and acting on it, as between securing a marriage license and getting married.

2. Insurance. the required delay between the date of inception of a claim and the date on which the indemnity becomes payable, as in workmen's compensation insurance or unemployment insurance.

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Example Sentences

The Finland-born 26-year-old married Mitrofanov, a Wisconsin native, in 2024, but the waiting period for citizenship after marriage is at least three years.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

But expiration of the waiting period without issue signals smooth sailing ahead.

From Barron's • Jan. 7, 2026

This is like a fire extinguisher that requires a 48-hour waiting period.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 5, 2025

Ministers' decision to move to a six-month waiting period followed talks with business groups and unions.

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2025

But it was obvious that the waiting period would have to be extended in those cases where an animal’s intelligence had been increased two or three times.

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes