while 1 of 2

while

2 of 2

conjunction

1
as in when
at or during the time that pay attention while I'm explaining how the new phone system works

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in although
in spite of the fact that while this term paper is very well done, it's still late

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of while
Noun
There is a competitiveness on this team right now that hasn’t been evident in a while. Josh Yohe, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025 Best Amazon Prime Day Beauty Deals Under $25 Clinique, Maybelline, L’Oreal, Laneige, and more standout beauty brands are on sale for a little while longer. Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025 So it's been a while for most of us. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025 The younger Grijalva, who is married to a librarian and has three children, worked in the public sector for a while before running for Congress. Chad De Guzman, Time, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for while
Recent Examples of Synonyms for while
Noun
  • Flexible, adaptable, and capable of navigating spaces once unreachable, these robots are designed to move like living organisms, transforming how doctors perform surgeries or how engineers inspect machinery.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025
  • With Newcastle an incredibly disciplined side, Trossard was caught on the ball in a dangerous position in front of his defenders at one point, but the aim seemed to be to have him in a free role that would create space for other players out wide.
    Art de Roché, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • What To Know According to the Associated Press (AP), the vote enables the county Board of Supervisors to approve rent relief efforts to tenants who cannot afford to pay their monthly costs of living due to the immigration crackdowns.
    Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Doug McMillon, the company’s president and CEO, said the latest partnership with OpenAI is merely a powerful extension of the company’s own AI efforts and plans.
    Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Here's what to know Autumn bulb planting is one of those great bits of gardening optimism.
    Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 10 Oct. 2025
  • The first draft was a little bit cuckoo, hence my headspace.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The researchers noted that torsional loading is not as strongly associated with injury risk as vertical loading, but future work may explore whether improved stroller design or posture cues could mitigate those twisting forces.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The San Jose region’s faster bounce-back may be attributable in part to an easier commute to work than in San Francisco and the East Bay, and tech campuses with free parking, making in-office work more appealing, the Bay Area Council’s Saisz said.
    Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Conjunction
  • But scientists and doctors say things aren’t that simple — and a belief that exposing children to marijuana, either directly or indirectly, is harmless isn’t supported by the facts.
    Daniel M. Jimenez, The Cannifornian, 22 June 2017
  • But with a full and volatile season behind them, the two have grown closer, prompting check-ins from Bradford last month, seeking tidbits from his coach who watched OTA practices on a tablet from his Kentucky retreat.
    Chad Graff, Twin Cities, 15 June 2017

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Cite this Entry

“While.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/while. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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