Meaning & use
waiting in line
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Standing in a row of people, each waiting for their turn to be served or admitted.
Grammar: Used as a continuous verb phrase; it describes an ongoing action, not a single event.
Patterns
- be waiting in line
- wait in line for something
- wait in line to do something
We spent an hour waiting in line for tickets to the concert.
She was waiting in line at the bank when she realized she had forgotten her wallet.
People were waiting in line to get into the new museum.
Common combinations
- wait in line for something
- Hundreds of fans waited in line for hours to buy the new phone.
- stand in line
- In some countries, you have to stand in line to pay your bills.
- line up
- The students lined up outside the classroom.
Synonyms and how they differ
- queuing
- The usual British term for the same activity; 'waiting in line' is more common in American English.
- standing in line
- Very similar, but emphasizes the physical posture rather than the waiting.
Word family
Commonly confused: waiting in line or in line with?
waiting in line vs in line with
This phrase means 'in agreement with' or 'following', not 'standing in a queue': The decision is in line with company policy.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
After 'waiting in line', use the infinitive 'to buy' to express purpose. Option A uses 'for buy' (incorrect), option C uses 'on line' (British 'on line' can mean 'online' or a different phrase), and option D uses 'to buying' (wrong form).
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “waiting in line”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.