while

noun \ ˈhwī(-ə)l , ˈwī(-ə)l \

Updated on: 1 Dec 2017

Definition of while

1 : a period of time especially when short and marked by the occurrence of an action or a condition : time

stay here for a while

2 : the time and effort used (as in the performance of an action) : trouble

worth your while

See while defined for English-language learners

See while defined for kids

Examples of while in a Sentence

It took them a while to find out what was causing the problem.
we stayed at the fair for a while longer

Recent Examples of while from the Web

Janet McCabe, of Indianapolis, had been considering solar for a while.

— emily hopkins, Indianapolis Star, "New Indiana solar law could cripple small businesses and customer savings," 5 Nov. 2017
The deteriorating condition of the old Copley buildings has been a growing city issue for a while.

— steve lord, Aurora Beacon-News, "Old Copley Hospital owner takes action to avoid Aurora lawsuit," 3 Nov. 2017
And for a while, NASA did its best to keep me believing that.

— john timmer, Ars Technica, "The end of an era came long before the end of Cassini," 29 Oct. 2017
For a short while, the semifinal match had been set to move to Sacramento due to problems at Children’s Mercy Victory Field, the Rangers’ normal home venue.

— michael mcgough, sacbee, "Republic FC’s underdog playoff run ends with 1-0 loss in USL semifinals," 28 Oct. 2017
Byrd left American Donor Services a short while later, worked briefly for a vascular tissue bank, and then founded Restore Life in 2008.

— author: brian grow, john shiffman, Alaska Dispatch News, "The Body Trade: Buying human remains, and a donor’s tragic story," 25 Oct. 2017
As the series teased a move to Houston, some fans heard a bell ring: Houston was once home to Abraham Ford, who bided his time there for a while in a grocery store with his family.

— rebecca keegan, HWD, "Weinstein Gets Blacklisted—and Bailed Out," 16 Oct. 2017
Duquesnoy connects with an overhand right a little while later.

— todd martin, latimes.com, "Mara Romero Borella vs. Kalindra Faria live round-by-round coverage," 7 Oct. 2017
What’s ahead President Trump landed in Puerto Rico a short while ago, on a trip to survey the damage for himself.

— thomas fitzgerald, Philly.com, "TRUMPadelphia: What it means to be president," 3 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'while.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of while

Middle English, from Old English hwīl; akin to Old High German hwīla time, Latin quies rest, quiet

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

See Words from the same year

while Synonyms

Synonyms

bit, space, spell, stretch

Related Words

lapse; season, span; day, epoch, era; beat, eyeblink, flash, heartbeat, instant, jiff, jiffy, minute, moment, nanosecond, New York minute, second, shake, split second, spurt, trice, twinkle, twinkling, wink; aeon (or eon), age, eternity, infinity, perpetuity; interim, interlude, intermission, interval

Near Antonyms

adroitness, ease, facility, fluency, smoothness; dormancy, idleness, inaction, inactivity, indolence, inertia, languor, laziness, quiescence

while

conjunction

Definition of while

1 a : during the time that

take a nap while I'm out

b : as long as

while there's life there's hope

2 a : when on the other hand : whereas

easy for an expert, while it is dangerous for a novice

b : in spite of the fact that : although

while respected, he is not liked

3 : similarly and at the same time that

while the book will be welcomed by scholars, it will make an immediate appeal to the general reader
—British Book News

See while defined for English-language learners

Examples of while in a Sentence

Someone called while you were out.
You can get the photos developed while you wait.
The phone rang while I was doing the dishes.
They met while they were in college.
Can I get you anything while I'm at the store?
He made a comment that, while well-intentioned, still hurt my feelings.
While I think some parts of the plan are good, I don't think it's practical.

First Known Use of while

12th century

while Synonyms

Synonyms

as, so long as, when, whilst [chiefly British]

Related Words

but, if

Near Antonyms

after

while

preposition

Definition of while

dialectal British

: until

Recent Examples of while from the Web

According to police reports, Natalapati was involved in a traffic crash while along Southwick Court, and officers later determined he was impaired.

— staff report, chicagotribune.com, "Vernon Hills police: Woman driving on flat tire charged with DUI," 3 Nov. 2017
After the international break, the Magpies face a tough test against Manchester United, while afterwards should hope for points against the likes of West Brom and Watford.

— SI.com, "Sam Allardyce Labels Newcastle United 'Unlucky' After Defeat to Bournemouth," 5 Nov. 2017
But that plan was scuttled when Minor hit a roadblock while on a rehab assignment in the minor leagues.

— rustin dodd, kansascity, "After career reinvention, reliever Mike Minor set to cash in as free agent," 3 Nov. 2017
Some posters echoed Stewart’s comments — that Manafort left New Britain decades ago after graduating from the long-defunct St. Thomas Aquinas High School, while Springer and his family represent the best of New Britain today.

— jesse leavenworth, Courant Community, "New Britain Roots Of Paul Manafort And George Springer Hammered Home In Hardware City This Week," 3 Nov. 2017
Come up halfway and extend the back leg while squeezing your glute.

— Health.com, "The Bodyweight Workout That Keeps Kelsea Ballerini Energized All Day Long," 3 Nov. 2017
Someone threw an object or shot a pellet at a sliding glass door on a 50-foot Prestige boat while it was docked.

— Sun-Sentinel.com, "Boca Raton Area Crime Log: Oct. 20 - 23," 3 Nov. 2017
Police said Lance McKee was shooting a .22 rifle inside his home for several hours while intoxicated on Sunday.

— sarah brookbank, Cincinnati.com, "Crime notebook: Man faces charges after telling officer 'I'm going to find you'," 2 Nov. 2017
Santacaterina was a preferred walk-on at NIU, eventually earning a scholarship and having a solid career while being undersized.

— paul johnson, Elgin Courier-News, "Honest Abe: Swanson a key for St. Charles East against Lincoln-Way East," 2 Nov. 2017

First Known Use of while

15th century

while

verb

Definition of while

whiled; whiling

transitive verb

: to cause to pass especially without boredom or in a pleasant manner —usually used with away

while away the time

See while defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of while from the Web

Its raison d'etre was bon vivance; good food and good times, a place to while away lazy summer days, eat heartily and drink well.

— lianne turner and thomas page, CNN, "Inside La Colombe d'Or, modern art's home on the French Riviera," 14 June 2017
But the Cube was fundamentally a cerebral, calm pursuit, perfect for the latchkey children of the 1980s to while away their lonely, Xbox-free hours.

— alex williams, New York Times, "Prozac Nation Is Now the United States of Xanax," 10 June 2017
Many leisure travelers use laptops and tablets to while away the hours watching movies or playing games, or to keep their kids entertained.

— joyce m. rosenberg, The Seattle Times, "Business, leisure travelers ponder flying without laptops," 17 May 2017
The twin political hallmarks of the Republican Party in Wisconsin since 2010 have been party unity and the ability to do just about whatever the party wants to while in power.

— craig gilbert, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Trump's worst week: A brief shining moment, quickly shrouded in defeat and discord," 28 July 2017
Luckily, a podcast revolution is providing listeners with hours of stories, interviews and chats to while away the hours on America's highways.

— Philly.com, "Podcasts perfect for summer road trips," 16 July 2017
Luckily, a podcast revolution is providing listeners with hours of stories, interviews and chats to while away the hours on America’s highways.

— idahostatesman, "14 podcasts perfect for summer road trips," 7 July 2017
But the Cube was fundamentally a cerebral, calm pursuit, perfect for the latchkey children of the 1980s to while away their lonely, Xbox-free hours.

— aaron gilbreath, Longreads, "The New Age of Anxiety," 28 June 2017
Besides the many outdoor venues in which to while away the day, design shops also serve as popular social hubs.

— beth lapides, ELLE Decor, "ELLE DECOR Goes To Palm Springs," 29 Nov. 2011

First Known Use of while

1635

WHILE Defined for English Language Learners

while

noun

Definition of while for English Language Learners

: a period of time

while

conjunction

Definition of while for English Language Learners

: during the time that
—used to make a statement that describes how two people, groups, etc., are different
: in spite of the fact that

WHILE Defined for Kids

while

conjunction \ ˈhwīl , ˈwīl \

Definition of while for Students

1 : during the time that

We met while in college.

2 : although 1

While famous, the book is seldom read.

while

noun

Definition of while for Students

1 : a period of time

Let's rest a while.

2 : time and effort used in doing something

I'll make it worth your while to help out.

while

verb

Definition of while for Students

whiled; whiling

: to cause to pass especially in a pleasant way

We whiled away the time with games.

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See words that rhyme with while Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for while Spanish Central: Translation of while Nglish: Translation of while for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of while for Arabic speakers

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while

Definition of while

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while Synonyms

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while

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while

Definition of while

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WHILE Defined for English Language Learners

while

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while

Definition of while for English Language Learners

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Definition of while for Students

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