1
as in space
an indefinite but usually short period of time we stayed at the fair for a while longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in effort
the active use of energy in producing a result it's not worth my while to fix it, so we'll get a new one
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026 Vertical Aerospace has scored a world-first as its full-scale tilt-rotor eVTOL completed a two-way piloted transition between vertical helicopter mode and horizontal airplane mode during a single continuous flight while under regulatory oversight. —David Szondy april 17, New Atlas, 17 Apr. 2026 Exchanging bibs with another marathoner has become more common while also carrying far-reaching consequences, Mann said. —ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026 For a while, the streaming boom’s overall content spend masked this downturn. —Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for while
Noun
While personal fans have been a fashionable accessory since before the Victorian era, the category has been stifled by a lack of innovation for a while. —Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 18 Apr. 2026 Vertical Aerospace has scored a world-first as its full-scale tilt-rotor eVTOL completed a two-way piloted transition between vertical helicopter mode and horizontal airplane mode during a single continuous flight while under regulatory oversight. —David Szondy april 17, New Atlas, 17 Apr. 2026 Exchanging bibs with another marathoner has become more common while also carrying far-reaching consequences, Mann said. —ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026 For a while, the streaming boom’s overall content spend masked this downturn. —Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for while
Recent Examples of Synonyms for while
Noun
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By combining the material with airy grasses and perennials, Grace has designed a soft-looking, drought-tolerant space that's also easygoing.— Elizabeth Jardina, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
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On many systems, deleting them merely removes their addresses from a registry, freeing the space to be overwritten.— Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Limited production, self-distribution, and low visibility can all play a role, and without intentional effort to build demand and relationships, their wines can remain just as absent from local lists.— Maryam Ahmed, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Apr. 2026
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To write a poem requires effort, art, inspiration.— New York Times, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For Rory McIlroy, the trek toward getting a second Masters championship got a little bit harder.— Rod Beard, AJC.com, 12 Apr. 2026
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For whatever sprinkling of sociopathy that Quinn might have, seeing her dead best friend’s daughter, who looks just like her best friend, standing in front of her cracks through a little bit.— Max Gao, Variety, 11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Your goal isn’t to get anyone fired, but more to help redefine boundaries on intimacy at work.— Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2026
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Detective Torres pulled in four officers from the department's Gun Violence Initiative unit, a team of intermediate detectives trained for exactly this kind of boots-on-ground work.— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Conjunction
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“While.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/while. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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