Thesaurus:wait

Thesaurus:wait

THESAURUS

wait

English

Synonyms

• abide (obsolete)

• bide (archaic or dialect)

• bide one's time (idiomatic)

• expect (obsolete)

• defer

• hang on (idiomatic)

• hold on (idiomatic)

• hold one's breath (idiomatic)

• hold one's horses (idiomatic)

• hold one's water (idiomatic)

• hold out (idiomatic)

• stand by (idiomatic)

• stay

• twiddle one's thumbs (idiomatic)

• wait

Antonyms

• act

•   —

• grasp    [WS]

• grasp the nettle

• jump at the chance

• jump on

•   —

• go it blind (slang)

• jump the gun (idiomatic)

• shoot first and ask questions later (US, idiomatic)

• shoot from the hip (idiomatic)

Hyponyms

• cool one's heels (idiomatic)

• kick one's heels (idiomatic)

See also

• Thesaurus:wait for (transitive)
• Thesaurus:procrastinate

Further reading

• “133. lateness” in Roget's Thesaurus, T. Y. Crowell Co., 1911.
• “wait” in Moby Thesaurus II, Grady Ward, 1996.