waiting
Americannoun
adjective
idioms
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“I kept waiting for Waymo to stop the car, and they kept telling me, ‘It’s not the right place to stop the car.’”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026
Ship-tracking data analysed by BBC Verify shows more than 200 tankers appear to be waiting inside the strait on Tuesday, with at least 10 ships moving west into the Gulf so far.
From BBC • Jun. 23, 2026
The analysts tell clients in a note that they are waiting for detail on the carrier’s full international fleet strategy, probably in August.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
Restricted stock units, or RSUs, are granted shares of company stock that officially belong to you only after a set waiting period, known as a vesting schedule.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026
At the door to the shower room, several women were waiting.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
