as in stays
to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something
please wait here, and we'll seat you shortly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in delays
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
there was a long wait for the manager to come and help us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waits
Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
While the storefront is minimal, save for a bright red front door, what waits inside is exceptional.
—Emma Simard, Saveur, 4 Feb. 2026
In fact, upon check-in, your butler is alerted to your arrival and waits outside your room with a welcome drink, warm towel, and handy tips on navigating your room.
—Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
The world waits for a compelling example of humanoid robots saving a customer money in a defensible way.
—Jeff Mahler, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Compiled annually by a group led by Franklin Leonard, a recipient of a Gotham tribute award this year, Variety waits with childlike anticipation each year to see which scripts film executives have really been buzzing over — but haven’t had the budget or the chutzpah to put into production just yet.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 10 Dec. 2024
Hypnotized by the American Dream, Luke struggles to recognize the futility of a system that moves fast and waits for no one.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Dec. 2024
The catching situation remains in flux as the club waits to see how Hunter Goodman and Drew Romo develop.
—Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2024
Gabi locates the pay phone in question, and waits for a call.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 3 Oct. 2024
Dan Amos, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
At that pace, long waits are facing most of the roughly 20,000 sick and wounded people who Gaza’s Health Ministry has said need treatment abroad.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Accompanied by his dog, Ruby, Randall puts out a folding chair, posts his sign and waits for people to approach with questions.
—Kaley Fedko, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Like many families, Resnikoff and his partner navigated urgent care clinics, referrals, and long waits between specialists.
—Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026
During a winter storm last January, TSA in Atlanta saw major staffing callouts that cascaded into hourslong security waits as some officers were not able to safely get to work.
—Savannah Sicurella, AJC.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Plano residents like Alex Flores and others in the region have complained about the shortfalls of microtransit, including road congestion and long waits.
—Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 17 Jan. 2026
In the heart of Round Rock, the Unicorniverse can get quite busy on weekends, with waits of up to 40 minutes for food, so try to go on a weekday.
—Austin American Statesman, 15 Jan. 2026
That said, reasonable preparation can help even those familiar with international payment systems avoid high fees, long waits and general confusion.
—Jason Phillips, Kansas City Star, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
While the storefront is minimal, save for a bright red front door, what waits inside is exceptional.
—Emma Simard, Saveur, 4 Feb. 2026
In fact, upon check-in, your butler is alerted to your arrival and waits outside your room with a welcome drink, warm towel, and handy tips on navigating your room.
—Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
The world waits for a compelling example of humanoid robots saving a customer money in a defensible way.
—Jeff Mahler, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2024
Compiled annually by a group led by Franklin Leonard, a recipient of a Gotham tribute award this year, Variety waits with childlike anticipation each year to see which scripts film executives have really been buzzing over — but haven’t had the budget or the chutzpah to put into production just yet.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 10 Dec. 2024
Hypnotized by the American Dream, Luke struggles to recognize the futility of a system that moves fast and waits for no one.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Dec. 2024
The catching situation remains in flux as the club waits to see how Hunter Goodman and Drew Romo develop.
—Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2024
Gabi locates the pay phone in question, and waits for a call.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 3 Oct. 2024
Noun
Navigating rigid work schedules, complex appointment systems, and long waits at the doctor’s office offers a whole other set of issues.
—Dan Amos, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
At that pace, long waits are facing most of the roughly 20,000 sick and wounded people who Gaza’s Health Ministry has said need treatment abroad.
—Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Accompanied by his dog, Ruby, Randall puts out a folding chair, posts his sign and waits for people to approach with questions.
—Kaley Fedko, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Like many families, Resnikoff and his partner navigated urgent care clinics, referrals, and long waits between specialists.
—Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 1 Feb. 2026
During a winter storm last January, TSA in Atlanta saw major staffing callouts that cascaded into hourslong security waits as some officers were not able to safely get to work.
—Savannah Sicurella, AJC.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Plano residents like Alex Flores and others in the region have complained about the shortfalls of microtransit, including road congestion and long waits.
—Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 17 Jan. 2026
In the heart of Round Rock, the Unicorniverse can get quite busy on weekends, with waits of up to 40 minutes for food, so try to go on a weekday.
—Austin American Statesman, 15 Jan. 2026
That said, reasonable preparation can help even those familiar with international payment systems avoid high fees, long waits and general confusion.
—Jason Phillips, Kansas City Star, 6 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waits
Verb
-
When Tulah opens later this year, stays will cost up to $2,700 per person per night, inclusive of all treatments and meals.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Texans are best served when the GLO office stays focused on the work it is designed to do and carries out those duties transparently, effectively, and in the public interest.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Yet the buyback program has suffered yearslong delays and pushback from police, provincial officials and gun owners.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Travelers with airline reservations may be nervously recalling a 43-day government shutdown that led to historic flight cancellations and long delays last year.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
No screens, no distractions—only the kind of presence that lingers long after the vows are spoken.—
Nikita Khanna,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Measles also lingers in rooms longer than many other diseases, Weber added.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The city commission authorized the design-build process and awaits information from the firm authorized to do the work this summer.—
Mike Hernández,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
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Police are back outside Nancy and her daughter Annie's homes Tuesday, as the family anxiously awaits a return.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Arlington County Police Department announced the news on Thursday following a monthslong criminal investigation that remains active.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
-
At some point, those fuel sources will be exhausted, no further energy will be naturally extracted from what remains within them, and those once-brilliant objects will fade away into darkness.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waits. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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