waiting game

noun

wait·​ing game ˈwā-tiŋ- How to pronounce waiting game (audio)
: a strategy in which one or more participants withhold action temporarily in the hope of having a favorable opportunity for more effective action later

Examples of waiting game in a Sentence

Until they make their decision, we're just playing a waiting game.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Every day was a waiting game to see whether one would be scheduled. Sam Blum, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025 But these days, the regulatory piece is actually starting to feel more attainable for many companies that have been playing the waiting game. Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025 With a burgeoning Ugandan population more than doubling in just 25 years to 50 million today, health care for the most vulnerable children, for example, is increasingly a waiting game. Brian Simpson, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025 So far, so good for the Toronto Blue Jays during the Bo Bichette waiting game. Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for waiting game

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of waiting game was in 1850

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Cite this Entry

“Waiting game.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waiting%20game. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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