Synonyms

whilst

American

[hwahylst, wahylst] / ʰwaɪlst, waɪlst /

conjunction

Chiefly British. while.

whilst British

/ waɪlst /

conjunction

another word for while

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of whilst

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English whilest, equivalent to whiles + excrescent -t as in amongst, amidst

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.

See Examples For:

whilst

The BBC understands that whilst King Charles III welcomes their return, he wasn't informed of it until Sunday.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

By curving his run, Amad cuts off the passing angle to PSG's wide player whilst applying pressure to Axel Koukaba.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Through the new EP, I wanted to showcase a new side of myself whilst incorporating my signature vocals.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

"They're kicking us whilst we're down, and I could get more as a cleaner. Some of us are doing cash-in-hand work in pubs," she said.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

Rain lashed down at her whilst Feral stood back safe and smug.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023