Wait — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈwāt/

Meaning & Definition of Wait

Wait (verb)

  1. to stay in place in expectation of, await
  2. to delay serving (a meal)
  3. to serve food and drinks to the people sitting at, to act as a server for

Wait (noun)

  1. a hidden or concealed position —used chiefly in the expression lie in wait
  2. a state or attitude of watchfulness and expectancy
  3. one of a band of public musicians in England employed to play for processions or public entertainments

Wait (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something

    "please wait here, and we'll seat you shortly"

    similar: await, bide, hold on, stay, bide one's time, cool one's heels, hold one's breath, sit tight
    related: hang around, linger, remain, stick around, tarry, stand by, anticipate, expect, watch (for)

Wait (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: delay, detainment, detention, holdback, holding pattern, holdup
    related: deferment, deferral, postponement, reprieve, respite, foot-dragging, hesitation, lag, pause, setback, slowdown
    near: haste, rush, dispatch, promptitude, promptness

Related Entry: Wait on (phrase)

Wait on is a different word from Wait. The synonyms below are for wait on, not for wait.

  1. to be a servant for

    "They waited on wealthy hotel patrons to save up extra money for college."

    similar: slave (for), serve, work (for), dance attendance (upon)
    related: attend, minister (to), tend (to)

  2. to attend to the needs and comforts of

    "He waited on his wife hand and foot when she was sick."

    similar: administer (to), care (for), minister (to), mother, nurse, do for (chiefly British), look after, look out for, look to, see to, take care of
    related: cure, heal, remedy, doctor, treat, aid, conserve, preserve, provide (for), support, baby, coddle, mollycoddle, pamper, spoil, cater (to), humor, indulge
    near: brush (aside or off), forget, ignore, neglect, overlook, slight

Related Entry: Wait (for) (verb)

Wait (for) is a different word from Wait. The synonyms below are for wait (for), not for wait.

  1. as in bank on, count (on or upon)

    similar: bank on, count (on or upon), depend (on or upon), rely (on or upon), anticipate, await, expect, hope (for), watch (for), envisage, envision, foresee, foretell, predict, prophesy, assume, presume, presuppose, contemplate, eye, view
    opposite: doubt, question

Related Entry: Wait-list (verb)

Wait-list is a different word from Wait. The synonyms below are for wait-list, not for wait.

  1. as in check in, schedule

    similar: enroll, inscribe, list, matriculate, register, conscript, draft, muster, book, schedule, enlist, impanel, induct, check in
    opposite: delist, check off, exclude, expel, expunge, reject, omit, overlook

Related Entry: Wait-listed (verb)

Wait-listed is a different word from Wait. The synonyms below are for wait-listed, not for wait.

  1. as in checked in, scheduled

    similar: enrolled, inscribed, listed, matriculated, registered, conscripted, drafted, mustered, booked, scheduled, enlisted, impaneled, inducted, checked in
    opposite: delisted, checked off, excluded, expelled, expunged, rejected, omitted, overlooked

Related Entry: Wait-listing (verb)

Wait-listing is a different word from Wait. The synonyms below are for wait-listing, not for wait.

  1. as in checking in, scheduling

    similar: enrolling, inscribing, listing, matriculating, registering, conscripting, drafting, mustering, booking, scheduling, enlisting, impaneling, inducting, checking in
    opposite: delisting, checking off, excluding, expelling, expunging, rejecting, omitting, overlooking

Related Entry: Wait-lists (verb)

Wait-lists is a different word from Wait. The synonyms below are for wait-lists, not for wait.

  1. as in checks in, schedules

    similar: enrolls, inscribes, lists, matriculates, registers, conscripts, drafts, musters, books, schedules, enlists, impanels, inducts, checks in
    opposite: delists, checks off, excludes, expels, expunges, rejects, omits, overlooks

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Wait

The most common words with a similar meaning to Wait:

await, bide, hold on, stay, bide one's time, cool one's heels, hold one's breath, sit tight, delay, detainment, detention, holdback, holding pattern, holdup

Related Words for Wait

hang around, linger, remain, stick around, tarry, stand by, anticipate, expect, watch (for), deferment, deferral, postponement, reprieve, respite, foot-dragging, hesitation, lag, pause, setback, slowdown

Near Antonyms of Wait

haste, rush, dispatch, promptitude, promptness

Word Forms of Wait

Inflections: waited, waiting, waits

Origin & Etymology of Wait

Middle English, from Anglo-French waiter, guaiter to watch over, await, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wahta watch, Old English wæccan to watch wake

First known use: 14th centuryt

Words & Phrases Containing Wait

wait-list, wait on, wait out, wait up, wait a minute/moment/second, wait at table, wait for it, wait in

Frequently Asked Questions about Wait

What does "Wait" mean?

"Wait" means to stay in place in expectation of, await. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to stay in place in expectation of, await. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Wait"?

Other words for "Wait" include await, bide, hold on, stay, bide one's time, cool one's heels, hold one's breath and sit tight. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Wait" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Wait"?

There are 34 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Wait". Common alternatives include await, bide, hold on, stay, bide one's time, cool one's heels, hold one's breath, sit tight, delay and detainment.

How do you use "Wait" in a sentence?

Examples of "Wait" in a sentence: "please wait here, and we'll seat you shortly"; "there was a long wait for the manager to come and help us".

Is "Wait" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Wait" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Wait"?

"Wait" is pronounced /ˈwāt/.

What is the origin of the word "Wait"?

"Wait" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French waiter, guaiter to watch over, await, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wahta watch, Old English wæccan to watch wake. First known use: 14th centuryt.

What is another word for "Wait" meaning "to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something"?

When "Wait" (verb) means to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something, synonyms include await, bide, hold on, stay, bide one's time and cool one's heels.