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Definition of await

await

/əˈweɪt/
a · wait
Past Simple:awaited
•
Past Participle:awaited
•
Present Participle:awaiting
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await Lexical Profile

await Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To wait for or stay in readiness for (a future event, decision, or outcome).

Example

"The applicants are anxiously awaiting the results of the entrance examination."

2

To be in store for or ready for (someone) in the future.

Example

"A warm welcome awaits all visitors who arrive at the historic mountain lodge."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for await

Word Nuance & Usage

Unlike "wait," which is usually intransitive and requires the preposition "for" before an object (e.g., "wait for a reply"), "await" is a transitive verb that takes a direct object directly (e.g., "await a reply"). Additionally, the direct object of "await" is almost always an abstract event or thing rather than a person.

• Rhymes for await

• Nearby Words

avowed
avowedly
aw
await
awaiter
awake
awaken

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Anglo-French and Old North French awaitier ("to watch for, lie in wait for"), formed from a- (from Latin ad-, "to") and waitier ("to watch"), which is of Frankish Germanic origin.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Await. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/await
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