Although the phrases ‘wait’ and ‘await’ have almost equal meanings and appear to be interchangeable, they should not be used indiscriminately.
Because ‘await’ is a more formal term than ‘wait,’ this is the case. Waiting is the act of passing the time until an anticipated event occurs while waiting with hope is the act of waiting for something to happen.
Key Takeaways
- Wait refers to staying in one place or remaining inactive until something happens.
- Await refers to looking forward to or expecting something yet to happen.
- Wait is an action an individual takes, while await is a feeling or anticipation of something to come.
Wait vs Await
Waiting is staying in one place or delaying action until something else happens or someone else arrives. Await has a more formal usage. It is more deliberate or intentional waiting for something to happen or for someone to arrive. Wait is a more general term, while Await is more specific.
Deferring activity until a future event or scenario arises is the definition of waiting. It might also mean waiting for something to occur in the future but doing nothing to make it happen sooner.
The term ‘wait’ can be used in a variety of contexts. To begin, say, “We’ve been waiting so long, and no one has come to speak with us.
Another common structure is to use the word ‘wait’ in conjunction with another verb, such as ‘I waited in line to enter the theatre.’
Await is a verb that means “to await” or “to be anticipating. It might also indicate that something is on the way or that something will be waiting for you in the future.
The word “await” has several ancient and archaic definitions. It has a formal or solemn tone to it.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Wait | Await |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | It can be used in two ways as a part of speech, one as a noun and/or as a verb. | Verb |
| Verb | In the sense that it can survive without a direct object, ‘wait’ is an intransitive verb. | A direct object is required for the transitive verb ‘await,’ which is commonly an abstract term. |
| Example | Ria has been waiting for the train for three hours. | With bated breath, we awaited the arrival of the doctor. |
| Followed by preposition | If there is an object, a preposition is used after the word “wait. | There is no preposition after ‘await,’ because the word itself implies ‘wait for,’ and using one after it would be confusing. |
| Requirement of object | The verb ‘wait’ is intransitive since it can exist without a direct object. | Waiting is a transitive verb that demands the presence of an object. |
What is Wait?
Deferring activity until a future event or scenario arises is the definition of waiting. It might also mean waiting for something to occur in the future but doing nothing to make it happen sooner.
The term ‘wait’ can be used in a variety of contexts. A common structure is to use the word ‘wait’ in conjunction with another verb.
The verb “wait” and the noun “wait” have two different meanings. It refers to staying still until a specified event occurs.
The verb ‘wait’ refers to the act of allowing time to pass while remaining still and doing nothing until an anticipated event occurs, or one can do anything, or his/her turn arrives since he/she can only go ahead when that exact moment occurs.
Waiting entails doing almost nothing since you won’t be able to move any farther if the moment arrives or what you expect to happen occurs.
A preposition is frequently inserted after the word “wait” if an object is present.
Waiting for something involves being stationary until a specified time or event occurs, whereas anticipating something means expecting something to happen.
In a phrase, the word ‘wait’ can be used as both a noun and a verb. The wait is an intransitive verb since it can continue without a direct object.
What is Await?
The word ‘await’ is used in a formal environment when somebody is waiting for something to happen. To expect something to happen” is the meaning of the word “await.
I’m waiting for your reaction,’ as in, ‘I’m waiting for your response.’ The phrase ‘await’ refers to the act of hoping or watching for something to happen.
In a formal circumstance, we use the word ‘await’ when someone anticipates something to happen. The transitive verb ‘await’ requires a direct object, which is frequently an abstract noun. The presence of an object is required by the transitive verb waiting.
On the other hand, ‘ await with hope or vigilance for action or occurrence to occur is a verb. There is no preposition after ‘await,’ because the term indicates ‘wait for,’ and it would be irrational to place one after it.
‘Await’ is anticipating something means expecting something to happen. The term ‘await’ can only be used as a verb. ‘Await,’ on the other hand, is a transitive verb that demands a direct object, which is an abstract noun.
Await is a transitive verb, meaning it requires the presence of a direct object to operate. This is because ‘await’ is a more formal word than ‘wait.’
Main Differences Between Wait and Await
- Waiting entails doing almost nothing since you won’t be able to move any farther if the moment arrives or what you expect to happen occurs. ‘Await with hope or vigilance for an action or occurrence to occur,’ on the other hand, is a verb.
- If an object is present, a preposition is used after the word “wait. There is no preposition after ‘await,’ because the term indicates ‘wait for,’ and it would be irrational to place one after it.
- Waiting for something involves being stationary until a specified time or event occurs, whereas ‘await’ is anticipating something means expecting something to happen.
- In a phrase, the word ‘wait’ can be used as both a noun and a verb, whereas the term ‘await’ can only be used as a verb.
- The wait is an intransitive verb since it can continue without a direct object. ‘Await,’ on the other hand, is a transitive verb that demands a direct object, which is an abstract noun.
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/003754979506500205
- https://search.proquest.com/openview/ef3e976bfb56e2396cd5a116af401a1d/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
The table is very enlightening.
This piece was really interesting and insightful.
This article helped me to understand the nuances between ‘wait’ and ‘await’.
I’m glad to have read it.
Good read.
The use of examples in the comparison table makes the differences clearer.
This explanation was well detailed and simple to understand.
As an English teacher, I found this article really helpful.
The author should have included more linguistic examples from other languages.
I disagree, the article is clear enough and doesn’t need examples from other languages.
I believe that would make the article richer.