Waiting is something we all experience—whether in line at a café, for an important email, or for life’s big opportunities. English speakers often use idioms to express waiting in colorful, memorable ways. An idiom is a group of words with a figurative meaning that differs from the literal meaning.
By learning idioms for waiting, you can make your conversations more expressive, natural, and engaging. Using these phrases can help you communicate your feelings about waiting—impatience, anticipation, or patience itself—more vividly.
From casual chats with friends to professional emails, idioms for waiting give your language a human touch. Instead of saying “I am waiting,” you can add humor, urgency, or emotion with just the right phrase. This makes your English more native-like and enjoyable to use.
Did You Know?
Some idioms about waiting have been around for centuries! For example, “bide your time” comes from Middle English, meaning to wait patiently for the right opportunity. Today, it’s still widely used in both casual and formal English.
Waiting for Something to Happen
Bide Your Time
Meaning: To wait patiently for the right moment.
Sentence: She decided to bide her time before applying for the promotion.
Alternative: Wait it out
Note: Commonly used in both professional and everyday life.
Sit Tight
Meaning: To stay in place and wait patiently.
Sentence: The doctor asked us to sit tight while he checked the test results.
Alternative: Hold tight
Note: Informal, often used in conversations and friendly advice.
Play the Waiting Game
Meaning: To delay action while waiting for the right opportunity or information.
Sentence: Investors often play the waiting game before buying stocks.
Alternative: Wait it out
Note: Casual and business contexts.
Hang On
Meaning: To wait briefly or hold on for something.
Sentence: Hang on, the bus will be here in a few minutes.
Alternative: Hold on
Note: Informal; very common in spoken English.
Cool Your Heels
Meaning: To wait somewhere, usually impatiently.
Sentence: We had to cool our heels for two hours at the airport.
Alternative: Kill time
Note: Slightly humorous, often in storytelling.
Feeling Impatient While Waiting
Twiddle Your Thumbs
Meaning: To do nothing while waiting, often feeling bored.
Sentence: I was just twiddling my thumbs until my friend arrived.
Alternative: Kill time
Note: Informal; often used in casual conversation.
On Pins and Needles
Meaning: Feeling anxious while waiting.
Sentence: I was on pins and needles waiting for my exam results.
Alternative: On edge
Note: Can be used in both formal and informal situations.
Hold Your Horses
Meaning: To wait or slow down; don’t rush.
Sentence: Hold your horses, we’re not leaving yet.
Alternative: Wait a moment
Note: Very common in daily speech; casual and friendly.
Beat the Clock
Meaning: To finish something before time runs out.
Sentence: They managed to beat the clock and submit the assignment on time.
Alternative: Race against time
Note: Works in professional, academic, and casual contexts.
Mark Time
Meaning: To wait without making progress.
Sentence: The project is just marking time until the budget is approved.
Alternative: Idle
Note: More formal; often used in business or strategic discussions.
Long-Term or Important Waiting
Bide One’s Time
Meaning: Similar to “bide your time,” waiting patiently for the right chance.
Sentence: He bided his time until the perfect opportunity arose.
Alternative: Play the long game
Note: Often used in literature and formal speech.
Keep Someone Waiting
Meaning: To make someone wait.
Sentence: Sorry to keep you waiting, the meeting ran longer than expected.
Alternative: Make someone wait
Note: Common in daily life, polite conversation.
Wait in the Wings
Meaning: To be ready to take action when the right moment comes.
Sentence: Several actors are waiting in the wings for the lead role.
Alternative: Stand by
Note: Often used in theatrical or professional contexts.
Take Your Time
Meaning: Not to hurry; proceed at your own pace.
Sentence: Take your time filling out the form.
Alternative: No rush
Note: Polite, casual, and professional.
Lie in Wait
Meaning: To hide and wait for the right moment to act.
Sentence: The detective lay in wait for the suspect.
Alternative: Ambush (figurative)
Note: More formal, often literary or news contexts.
Waiting With Anticipation or Hope
Hold Out Hope
Meaning: To continue hoping while waiting.
Sentence: We are holding out hope that the missing cat will return.
Alternative: Keep hope alive
Note: Common in daily conversation; emotional and encouraging.
Wait for the Other Shoe to Drop
Meaning: To wait for something inevitable to happen.
Sentence: I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop after hearing that news.
Alternative: Expect the worst
Note: Informal, used when expecting negative outcomes.
Sit on the Edge of Your Seat
Meaning: To wait in excitement or suspense.
Sentence: The audience sat on the edge of their seats during the thriller movie.
Alternative: Hold your breath
Note: Casual; entertainment or storytelling contexts.
Keep Someone in Suspense
Meaning: To make someone wait for news or information.
Sentence: The manager kept us in suspense until the project deadline was announced.
Alternative: Tease
Note: Often in narrative, casual, and professional contexts.
Play the Long Game
Meaning: To wait patiently to achieve long-term success.
Sentence: Successful entrepreneurs often play the long game.
Alternative: Bide your time
Note: Formal and strategic usage; business and life advice.
How to Use These Idioms in Daily Life
Idioms for waiting are versatile and can be used in:
- Speaking: Make your conversations natural and engaging. For example, say, “I’m on pins and needles waiting for your reply” instead of just “I’m nervous.”
- Writing: Use them in emails, letters, or stories to add style and emotion. For instance, “We will bide our time until further instructions.”
- Professional Usage: Idioms like “play the long game” or “mark time” make reports and presentations more vivid and relatable.
By sprinkling idioms in your daily language, you communicate feelings like impatience, hope, or anticipation in a more expressive way.
Common Mistakes Learners Make With Idioms
- Wrong: “I am twiddling my fingers.”
Correct: “I am twiddling my thumbs while waiting.” - Wrong: “I am on nails waiting.”
Correct: “I am on pins and needles waiting for the results.” - Wrong: “I bided my moment.”
Correct: “I bided my time until the opportunity came.”
Always use the exact words in idioms; changing them can confuse native speakers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can idioms be used in formal writing?
Yes, but choose idioms carefully. Phrases like “bide your time” or “play the long game” work well in formal contexts, while “hold your horses” is too casual.
Are these idioms only for English learners?
No! Native speakers use them daily in conversations, storytelling, and professional communication. Learning them improves fluency.
How can I remember idioms for waiting?
Practice by using them in daily conversations, writing short stories, or labeling situations where you feel impatient or hopeful.
Do idioms have literal meanings too?
Most idioms have figurative meanings that differ from literal words. For example, “cool your heels” doesn’t literally mean chilling your feet—it means to wait patiently.
Can idioms be translated directly into other languages?
Usually not. Idioms are culture-specific, so direct translation may confuse learners. Understand the meaning and then find an equivalent phrase in your language.
Conclusion
Mastering idioms for waiting is a fun and effective way to make your English more expressive. From showing impatience to expressing hope, these phrases give your language color and depth.
By practicing them in daily conversations, writing, and professional settings, you can communicate more naturally and confidently.
So next time you find yourself waiting, choose the perfect idiom and make your English truly shine!
