not waiting

Meanings

1. 1verbintransitive

   Not staying in one place or delaying action until something happens.

   Grammar: The -ing form of 'wait' with 'not' before it; it often follows be: She is not waiting. It can also begin a clause: Not waiting for an answer, he left.

   Patterns

   • be not waiting
   • not waiting for someone/something
   • not waiting around

   I'm not waiting for the bus in this rain.

   Not waiting for permission, she started the project.

   They are not waiting around while the manager decides.

2. 2verbintransitive

   Not delaying something or not putting it off until later.

   Grammar: Used with 'not' to say someone acts immediately: He is not waiting to be asked.

   Patterns

   • not waiting to do something
   • not waiting until

   She is not waiting until Monday to send the report.

   We are not waiting for the price to fall; we need the car now.

Word forms

Common combinations

not waiting for

He is not waiting for her to call back.

not waiting around

Don't be not waiting around all day.

not waiting to

They are not waiting to hear the results.

not waiting until

I'm not waiting until tomorrow to finish this.

Synonyms and how they differ

not delaying

Focuses on not making something late; 'not waiting' focuses on not staying or pausing.

not lingering

Means not staying longer than needed; 'not waiting' is broader and more common.

Opposites

Word family

wait verb

To stay until something happens.

waiter noun

A person who serves food in a restaurant.

waiting noun

The act of staying until something happens.

Commonly confused: not waiting or awaiting?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “not waiting”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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