1 B2 neutral
To remain somewhere and wait patiently until a difficult or unpleasant situation is over.
"They sheltered in a cave to wait out the thunderstorm."
separable
wait out
B2 neutral separable transitive
To wait patiently until a difficult, dangerous, or unpleasant period or situation comes to an end.
In plain English
To stay safe or stay put and just wait until something bad or boring is over.
What does "wait out" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To outlast an opponent or difficult period through patience, hoping the situation will improve.
"The union decided to wait out management rather than accept a reduced offer."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To wait until something is 'out' (finished) — fairly transparent.
Actually means
To stay safe or stay put and just wait until something bad or boring is over.
Usage tip
The object is typically an unpleasant situation, bad weather, a crisis, or a delay. The tone is one of patience and endurance rather than active problem-solving. Used in both British and American English.
Words that pair with "wait out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
storm delay crisis recession war bad weather
How to conjugate "wait out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
wait out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
waits out
he/she/it
Past simple
waited out
yesterday
Past participle
waited out
have + pp
-ing form
waiting out
continuous
Hear "wait out" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "wait out" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "wait out"
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