wait Synonyms & Antonyms
What Is Another Word for Wait?
Common synonyms for wait are attend, escort and go with.
Choose a meaning, then find a word that fits your sentence.
Wait as a Verb
To delay movement or action until some event or time; to remain neglected or in readiness.
Wait here until your car arrives.
To wait tables; to serve customers in a restaurant or other eating establishment.
She used to wait in this joint.
To delay movement or action until the arrival or occurrence of; to await. (Now generally superseded by “wait for”.)
to wait one’s turn
To attend on; to accompany; especially, to attend with ceremony or respect.
To attend as a consequence; to follow upon; to accompany.
To defer or postpone (especially a meal).
To watch with malicious intent; to lie in wait
To remain faithful to one’s partner or betrothed during a prolonged period of absence.
Wait as a Noun
A delay.
I had a very long wait at the airport security check.
An ambush.
They lay in wait for the patrol.
Ellipsis of wait state.
One who watches; a watchman.
Hautboys, or oboes, played by town musicians.
Musicians who sing or play at night or in the early morning, especially at Christmas time; serenaders; musical watchmen. [formerly waites, wayghtes.]
The last tile a player requires to complete a winning hand
(in the plural) Hautboys, or oboes, played by town musicians.
(in the plural) Musicians who sing or play at night or in the early morning, especially at Christmas time; serenaders; musical watchmen. [formerly waites, wayghtes.]
Wait as an Interjection
Tells the other speaker to stop talking, typing etc. for a moment, often to allow clarification.
- And so I went upstairs—- Wait. Your house has two floors?
Wait in a Sentence
Wait here until your car arrives.
I’m still waiting for you to pay me back the money I lent you..
She used to wait in this joint.
to wait one’s turn
I had a very long wait at the airport security check.
They lay in wait for the patrol.
- And so I went upstairs—- Wait. Your house has two floors?
She used to wait down at the Dew Drop Inn.
to wait dinner
Word Forms & Grammar
wait (third-person singular simple present waits, present participle waiting, simple past and past participle waited)
wait (plural waits)
wait
Words That Rhyme With Wait
Origin of Wait
Origin 1: From Middle English waiten, from Anglo-Norman waiter, waitier (compare French guetter from Old French gaitier, guaitier), from Frankish *wahtwēn (“to watch, guard”), derivative of Frankish *wahtu (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Germanic *wahtwō (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be fresh, cheerful, awake”).
Origin 2: Cognate with Old High German wahtēn (“to watch, guard”), German Low German wachten (“to wait”), Dutch wachten (“to wait, expect”), French guetter (“to watch out for”), Saterland Frisian wachtje (“to wait”), West Frisian wachtsje (“to wait”), North Frisian wachtjen (“to stand, stay put”). More at watch.
Origin 3: In some senses, merged or influenced by Middle English waiten, weiten (“to do good to, lie in wait for, to contrive good or harm on, catch, snare”), from Old Norse veita (“to give help to, assist, grant, cause to happen”), from Proto-Germanic *waitijaną (“to show, guide, advise, direct”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd- (“to see, know”).
Origin 4: Largely overtook native Middle English biden, from Old English bīdan, source of bide.
Quick Facts About Wait
| Part of speech | verb, noun, interjection |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /weɪt/ |
| Meaning | To delay movement or action until some event or time; to remain neglected or in readiness |
| Synonyms | attend, escort and go with |
| Plural | waits |
| Verb forms | waits, waiting, waited |
Frequently Asked Questions About Wait
Is wait a verb or a noun?
Wait is mainly used as a verb, but it can also be used as a noun and an interjection.
What is the plural of wait?
The plural of wait is waits.
What is the past tense of wait?
The past tense of wait is waited. The present participle is waiting.