whilst

[ wahylst, hwahylst ]

/ waɪlst, ʰwaɪlst /

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See synonyms for whilst on Thesaurus.com

conjunction

Chiefly British. while.

QUIZ

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Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

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Origin of whilst

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

Words nearby whilst

whiles, While there's life, there's hope, whilk, whillikers, whilom, whilst, whim, whimbrel, whimper, whimsey, whimsical

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use whilst in a sentence

Whilst Whitacre never defined himself as an “ally,” this remains a cautionary tale of what not to do.
Tech’s Male ‘Feminists’ Aren’t Helping|Cate Huston, Karen Catlin|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But recently, the MPAA has loosened the stick in its collective ass and allowed women to go there whilst maintaining an R rating.
Oral Sex Comes of Age in Hollywood: ‘Gone Girl’ the Latest Film to Showcase Female Pleasure|Marlow Stern|October 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I immediately went downstairs and told Dad about the dream whilst he was having his breakfast.
Knocking on Heaven's Door: True Stories of Unexplained, Uncanny Experiences at the Hour of Death|Patricia Pearson|August 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hell, James left the entire league in a holding pattern whilst he pondered his future, Hamlet-like.
LeBron James Returns to Cleveland: How 'The Decision 2.0' Happened|Robert Silverman|July 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST

What has allowed him to continue his activities for so long, whilst leaving such an extensive open-source trail?
Tehran’s Chinese Missile Man|Jefferson Morley|June 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was generally lauded by Spaniards, whilst it filled all classes of natives with indignation.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
I had it put in order whilst you were in London; it was a shame to let a sacred place remain in such a state.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
Heavy firing continued all that afternoon, inflicting great loss on the rebels, whilst the Spaniards lost one soldier.
The Philippine Islands|John Foreman
He tells me several men have already been shot whilst bathing but there is no use trying to stop it: they take the off chance.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
But I was still more startled by the action of the barman who lifted up the glass and held it whilst the man drank.
Uncanny Tales|Various

British Dictionary definitions for whilst

whilst

/ (waɪlst) /

conjunction

mainly British another word for while (def. 1), while (def. 2), while (def. 3), while (def. 4), while (def. 5)

Word Origin for whilst

C13: from whiles + -t as in amidst

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

whilst

Origin of whilst

Words nearby whilst

Words related to whilst

How to use whilst in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for whilst

Word Origin for whilst