Waiting is one of life’s most universal experiences, whether you’re stuck in a queue, refreshing your inbox or counting down the days until a holiday. English has dozens of colourful idioms for it, from waiting until the cows come home to twiddling your thumbs and finally getting there at long last.
This guide covers 43 idioms for waiting a long time, also known as idioms about waiting or patience idioms. Each one comes with a plain-English meaning, two example sentences and other ways to say it. You’ll also find origins for the most interesting ones, popular sayings about patience, the pairs learners mix up most, ready-to-use phrases for work and texts, other words for waiting, and a quiz to check what you’ve learned.
The Quick Answer
The most common idioms for waiting a long time are for ages (for a very long time), until the cows come home (for a very long time, or forever), twiddle your thumbs (wait with nothing to do), on tenterhooks (nervous while waiting), hold your horses (wait, don’t rush), on the back burner (delayed) and at long last (finally, after a long wait).
The Key to Understanding Waiting Idioms
Almost every waiting idiom is built on one of four ideas. Once you know them, you can usually guess what a new idiom about waiting means.
- Time is measured by slow or impossible things. Waiting lasts until the cows come home, a month of Sundays or till hell freezes over.
- Waiting means having nothing to do with your body. You twiddle your thumbs, cool your heels or kick your heels.
- Anxious waiting is physical tension. You’re on tenterhooks, on pins and needles or waiting with bated breath.
- Delayed plans are things put aside. They go on hold, on the back burner or are kicked into the long grass.
All 43 Waiting Idioms at a Glance
Here are all 43 idioms about waiting from this guide, each with a one-line meaning and its usual tone. Tap any idiom to jump straight to its full explanation, example sentences and similar phrases.
Tone key: 😊 positive · 😟 negative · ⚖️ neutral · 🙃 often sarcastic or playful
| # | Idiom | Meaning | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Take Forever | Take a very long time | 😟 |
| 2 | For Ages | For a very long time | ⚖️ |
| 3 | For Donkey’s Years | For many years | 🙃 |
| 4 | A Month of Sundays | A very long time | 🙃 |
| 5 | Until the Cows Come Home | For a very long time, or forever | 🙃 |
| 6 | Since the Year Dot | For as long as anyone remembers | 🙃 |
| 7 | Hurry Up and Wait | Rush, only to be kept waiting | 🙃 |
| 8 | Like Waiting for Godot | Waiting for something that never comes | 😟 |
| 9 | When Pigs Fly | Never | 🙃 |
| 10 | Till Hell Freezes Over | Never, or forever | 🙃 |
| 11 | Don’t Hold Your Breath | Don’t expect it to happen | 🙃 |
| 12 | Once in a Blue Moon | Very rarely | ⚖️ |
| 13 | Twiddle Your Thumbs | Wait with nothing to do | 😟 |
| 14 | Cool Your Heels | Be kept waiting | 😟 |
| 15 | Kick Your Heels | Wait around, bored | 😟 |
| 16 | Kill Time | Do something to pass the time | ⚖️ |
| 17 | Watch the Clock | Keep checking how long is left | 😟 |
| 18 | Like Watching Paint Dry | Extremely slow and boring | 😟 |
| 19 | On Tenterhooks | Nervous while waiting | 😟 |
| 20 | On Pins and Needles | Anxious and restless | 😟 |
| 21 | On the Edge of Your Seat | Excited and eager to know what happens | ⚖️ |
| 22 | Sweat It Out | Wait anxiously for a result | 😟 |
| 23 | With Bated Breath | Eagerly or anxiously | ⚖️ |
| 24 | Hold Your Horses | Wait, don’t rush | ⚖️ |
| 25 | Bide Your Time | Wait patiently for the right moment | 😊 |
| 26 | Sit Tight | Stay where you are and wait | ⚖️ |
| 27 | Hang in There | Keep going in a hard time | 😊 |
| 28 | Wait Your Turn | Wait until it’s your chance | ⚖️ |
| 29 | Play the Waiting Game | Wait on purpose to gain an advantage | ⚖️ |
| 30 | Wait for the Dust to Settle | Wait until things calm down | ⚖️ |
| 31 | Waiting in the Wings | Ready to step in when needed | ⚖️ |
| 32 | Put Something on Hold | Delay something | ⚖️ |
| 33 | On the Back Burner | Delayed, not a priority | ⚖️ |
| 34 | Kick Something Into the Long Grass | Delay it indefinitely | 😟 |
| 35 | In the Pipeline | Being planned or prepared | 😊 |
| 36 | Leave Someone Hanging | Keep someone waiting for an answer | 😟 |
| 37 | Watch This Space | News is coming soon | 😊 |
| 38 | Sleep on It | Wait until tomorrow to decide | ⚖️ |
| 39 | At Long Last | Finally, after a long wait | 😊 |
| 40 | About Time | It should have happened sooner | 🙃 |
| 41 | Better Late Than Never | Late is better than not at all | ⚖️ |
| 42 | In the Nick of Time | Just before it was too late | 😊 |
| 43 | Worth the Wait | Good enough to justify waiting | 😊 |
Idioms for Waiting a Very Long Time
When a wait feels endless, English reaches for exaggeration. These idioms describe waiting for ages, waiting years, and waits that seem to have no end at all. Most are informal and often a little humorous.
1. Take Forever
Meaning: To take a very long time. It’s almost always an exaggeration.
- The bus took forever to arrive this morning.
- Why does the printer always take forever?
Other ways to say it: take ages / take an eternity / drag on
2. For Ages
Meaning: For a very long time. It’s informal and very common, especially in British English.
- I’ve been waiting for ages; where have you been?
- We haven’t seen each other for ages.
Other ways to say it: for a long time / for ever so long / for an age
3. For Donkey’s Years
Meaning: For many years; for a very long time. It’s informal British English.
- They’ve lived in that house for donkey’s years.
- I haven’t been to a concert in donkey’s years.
Other ways to say it: for years and years / for yonks (British, informal)
Origin: It’s likely a joke on donkey’s ears, which are very long. The phrase was popular in British English by the early 1900s.
4. A Month of Sundays
Meaning: A very long time. It’s often used in the negative: not in a month of Sundays means never.
- I haven’t been to the cinema in a month of Sundays.
- You won’t finish that jigsaw in a month of Sundays.
Other ways to say it: ages / forever / not in a million years
Origin: Sundays were once quiet, slow days with little to do. A “month” of them, about 30 Sundays, would take over seven months to pass.
5. Until the Cows Come Home
Meaning: For a very long time, or forever. It often means something will make no difference, however long it continues.
- You can argue until the cows come home, but I won’t change my mind.
- We could talk about football until the cows come home.
Other ways to say it: forever / endlessly / all day and all night
Origin: Cows wander slowly back to the farm in the evening, in their own time. The phrase has been used in English since at least the late 1500s.
6. Since the Year Dot
Meaning: For as long as anyone can remember. It’s informal British English.
- That shop has been on the corner since the year dot.
- He’s supported the same team since the year dot.
Other ways to say it: forever / since time immemorial / since I was born
7. Hurry Up and Wait
Meaning: To rush to be somewhere on time, only to be kept waiting once you arrive.
- Air travel is all hurry up and wait.
- We rushed to the hospital, and then it was hurry up and wait for three hours.
Other ways to say it: rush and then wait / stop-start
Origin: It likely began as American military slang during World War II, when soldiers rushed to follow orders and then waited for hours. For days that feel the same over and over, see Groundhog Day in our metaphors for being trapped.
8. Like Waiting for Godot
Meaning: Waiting for something or someone that never arrives.
- Waiting for the council to fix the road is like waiting for Godot.
- My refund? It’s like waiting for Godot.
Other ways to say it: waiting in vain / waiting forever
Use it: It refers to Samuel Beckett’s 1953 play Waiting for Godot, in which two men wait for someone called Godot, who never comes.
Idioms for Things That Will Never Happen
Sometimes the wait is so long that it will never end. These idioms describe things that will never happen, or happen so rarely they hardly count. They’re usually sarcastic.
9. When Pigs Fly
Meaning: Never. British English often says pigs might fly.
- He’ll clean his room when pigs fly.
- “Will they lower the price?” “Yes, when pigs fly.”
Other ways to say it: not in a million years / never / no chance
Origin: It’s an old Scottish proverb. Lewis Carroll used it in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865), where the Duchess says Alice has “just about as much right… as pigs have to fly.”
10. Till Hell Freezes Over
Meaning: Never, or for an extremely long time.
- I’ll wait till hell freezes over before I apologise.
- They’ll argue till hell freezes over.
Other ways to say it: forever / never / when pigs fly
11. Don’t Hold Your Breath
Meaning: Don’t expect something to happen soon, or at all.
- He said he’d call back, but don’t hold your breath.
- The repairs will be done next week? I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Other ways to say it: don’t count on it / don’t get your hopes up
12. Once in a Blue Moon
Meaning: Very rarely.
- My brother visits once in a blue moon.
- We only eat out once in a blue moon.
Other ways to say it: hardly ever / rarely / few and far between
Use it: A “blue moon” is a second full moon in one calendar month, which happens only every two or three years.
Idioms for Being Bored While You Wait
Long waits can be dull, and English describes the boredom through restless hands, feet and clocks. These idioms describe waiting with nothing to do, filling time and watching every minute pass.
13. Twiddle Your Thumbs
Meaning: To wait with nothing useful to do.
- We sat in reception twiddling our thumbs for an hour.
- I’m not paying you to twiddle your thumbs!
Other ways to say it: sit around / do nothing / kill time
14. Cool Your Heels
Meaning: To be kept waiting, often on purpose by someone else.
- The minister left the reporters cooling their heels outside.
- I cooled my heels in the lobby for forty minutes.
Other ways to say it: be kept waiting / hang around
Origin: It likely comes from resting tired, hot feet, or horses’ hooves, after a long journey. It has been used since the 1600s.
15. Kick Your Heels
Meaning: To wait around, bored and with nothing to do. It’s mainly British.
- We kicked our heels at the airport for six hours.
- He spent the summer kicking his heels at home.
Other ways to say it: hang about / idle away the time
16. Kill Time
Meaning: To do something to make time pass while you wait.
- I read a magazine to kill time at the dentist.
- We killed time in a café before the train left.
Other ways to say it: pass the time / fill the time
17. Watch the Clock
Meaning: To keep checking the time because you want something, often work, to end. Someone who does this is a clock-watcher.
- On Friday afternoons, everyone watches the clock.
- He’s a real clock-watcher; he leaves at 5 p.m. on the dot.
Other ways to say it: count the minutes / count down the hours
18. Like Watching Paint Dry
Meaning: Extremely slow and boring. People also say like watching grass grow.
- Waiting for the download was like watching paint dry.
- The lecture was like watching grass grow.
Other ways to say it: mind-numbing / dull as ditchwater (British) / a snoozefest
Idioms for Waiting Nervously
Waiting for exam results, news or a decision can be stressful. These idioms describe anxious, excited and tense waiting, often in physical terms like held breath and pins in your skin.
19. On Tenterhooks
Meaning: Nervous and anxious while waiting for news or a result.
- The whole family was on tenterhooks waiting for the test results.
- Don’t keep me on tenterhooks; did you get the job?
Other ways to say it: on edge / in suspense / on pins and needles
Origin: Tenterhooks were hooks on a wooden frame, called a tenter, used to stretch wet cloth while it dried. Someone on tenterhooks feels stretched and tense.
20. On Pins and Needles
Meaning: Anxious, restless and unable to relax while waiting.
- I was on pins and needles all week before the interview.
- Fans were on pins and needles during the penalty shoot-out.
Other ways to say it: jittery / on edge / nervous
Use it: Pins and needles also describes the tingling feeling in a leg or arm that has “fallen asleep.”
21. On the Edge of Your Seat
Meaning: Excited and eager to know what will happen next.
- The final episode kept me on the edge of my seat.
- The crowd was on the edge of their seats as the votes were counted.
Other ways to say it: gripped / in suspense / hooked
22. Sweat It Out
Meaning: To wait anxiously for a result or decision you can’t control.
- After the exam, we had to sweat it out for two weeks.
- The players sweated it out while the referee checked the video.
Other ways to say it: wait nervously / grit your teeth
23. With Bated Breath
Meaning: Eagerly or anxiously, as if holding your breath.
- We waited with bated breath for the winner to be announced.
- Fans are waiting with bated breath for the new album.
Other ways to say it: eagerly / anxiously / in suspense
Origin: Bated is a short form of abated, meaning reduced or held back. The phrase appears in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice: “With bated breath and whispering humbleness.” It’s often misspelled baited.
Idioms for Being Patient
Waiting well is a skill, and these idioms are about patience. They describe slowing down, waiting for the right moment, staying put and keeping going through a hard time.
24. Hold Your Horses
Meaning: Wait a moment and don’t rush. It’s often said to someone who is too eager.
- Hold your horses! We haven’t checked the numbers yet.
- Hold your horses; let me finish explaining.
Other ways to say it: slow down / wait a minute / not so fast
Origin: It comes from the days of horse-drawn carriages, when drivers had to pull back on the reins to stop their horses from rushing ahead.
25. Bide Your Time
Meaning: To wait patiently for the right moment to act.
- She bided her time and applied when the manager’s job came up.
- The team bided their time and scored in the last minute.
Other ways to say it: wait for the right moment / play a waiting game
Use it: Bide is an old word for “wait” or “stay,” and this idiom is one of the few places it survives in modern English.
26. Sit Tight
Meaning: To stay where you are and wait, without taking action.
- Sit tight; the engineer will be with you shortly.
- Investors decided to sit tight until prices recovered.
Other ways to say it: stay put / hang on / wait patiently
27. Hang in There
Meaning: To keep going and stay hopeful during a difficult time.
- Hang in there; the exams are almost over.
- I know the job is tough, but hang in there.
Other ways to say it: take heart / grit your teeth / keep your chin up
28. Wait Your Turn
Meaning: To wait until it’s your chance, without pushing ahead of others.
- Please wait your turn in the queue.
- He’ll be promoted eventually; he just has to wait his turn.
Other ways to say it: take your turn / queue up / be patient
29. Play the Waiting Game
Meaning: To deliberately wait before acting, hoping the situation will turn in your favour.
- Buyers are playing the waiting game until house prices fall.
- Both sides are playing a waiting game in the negotiations.
Other ways to say it: hold out / wait it out / bide your time
30. Wait for the Dust to Settle
Meaning: To wait until a confusing or tense situation calms down before acting.
- Let’s wait for the dust to settle before we discuss the changes.
- After the merger, staff waited for the dust to settle.
Other ways to say it: let things calm down / wait it out
31. Waiting in the Wings
Meaning: Ready to step in and take over when needed.
- A younger player is waiting in the wings if the captain gets injured.
- Several new products are waiting in the wings.
Other ways to say it: on standby / ready and waiting / next in line
Origin: It comes from the theatre, where actors wait in the wings, the hidden areas at the side of the stage, until it’s their turn to go on. For a less hopeful kind of waiting, see dead men’s shoes in our shoe metaphors.
Idioms for Plans That Are Delayed
Not all waiting is personal; plans, projects and decisions can wait too. These idioms describe things being paused, pushed aside, delayed indefinitely or coming soon.
32. Put Something on Hold
Meaning: To delay something until later.
- We’ve put the wedding on hold until next year.
- The project is on hold while we wait for funding.
Other ways to say it: postpone / pause / put something on ice / in a holding pattern
Use it: On the phone, being on hold means waiting for someone to speak to you, often with music playing.
33. On the Back Burner
Meaning: Delayed because it’s less important than other things.
- The new website is on the back burner until after Christmas.
- She put her studies on the back burner to care for her mother.
Other ways to say it: low priority / put aside / shelved
Origin: On a stove, pots on the back burners simmer slowly while the cook focuses on the pots at the front.
34. Kick Something Into the Long Grass
Meaning: To delay a plan or problem indefinitely, often hoping people will forget about it. It’s mainly British.
- The government kicked the report into the long grass.
- The idea was kicked into the long grass after the election.
Other ways to say it: shelve / bury / put off indefinitely
Origin: It’s likely a sports image: a ball kicked into long grass is hard to find and soon forgotten.
35. In the Pipeline
Meaning: Being planned, developed or prepared, and coming soon.
- We have several new courses in the pipeline.
- A pay rise is in the pipeline for next year.
Other ways to say it: coming soon / on the way / in the works
36. Leave Someone Hanging
Meaning: To keep someone waiting for an answer, decision or reply.
- Don’t leave me hanging; did you accept the offer?
- The company left candidates hanging for weeks.
Other ways to say it: keep someone waiting / leave someone in suspense
Use it: Being stuck in an uncertain situation while you wait is called being in limbo.
37. Watch This Space
Meaning: More news or developments are coming soon, so keep paying attention.
- We’re planning something big; watch this space.
- The final line-up hasn’t been announced yet, so watch this space.
Other ways to say it: stay tuned / more to come / keep an eye out
38. Sleep on It
Meaning: To wait until the next day before making a decision.
- It’s a big offer; let me sleep on it.
- Don’t sign anything yet; sleep on it first.
Other ways to say it: think it over / mull it over / take your time
Idioms for When the Wait Is Finally Over
Every wait ends eventually. These idioms describe the moment something finally happens, whether it’s a relief, an annoyance, a last-minute rescue or well worth waiting for.
39. At Long Last
Meaning: Finally, after a long wait.
- At long last, the parcel arrived.
- The bridge has been repaired at long last.
Other ways to say it: finally / eventually / in the end
40. About Time
Meaning: Something should have happened much sooner. It often sounds annoyed or teasing.
- You’ve finally tidied your room? About time!
- It’s about time they fixed that road.
Other ways to say it: not before time (British) / finally / and not a moment too soon
41. Better Late Than Never
Meaning: It’s better for something to happen late than not to happen at all.
- I know your birthday was last week, but better late than never!
- He finally apologised; better late than never.
Other ways to say it: at least it happened / late but welcome
Origin: The idea goes back to the Roman historian Livy, who wrote potius sero quam numquam, “rather late than never.”
42. In the Nick of Time
Meaning: Just before it was too late.
- The ambulance arrived in the nick of time.
- We caught the train in the nick of time.
Other ways to say it: just in time / at the last minute / by the skin of your teeth
Origin: A nick was a small notch cut into a stick to keep count or score. It likely came to mean “the exact moment.”
43. Worth the Wait
Meaning: So good that it justifies all the time you spent waiting.
- The food took an hour, but it was worth the wait.
- Their new album is definitely worth the wait.
Other ways to say it: worth it / worthwhile / well worth waiting for
Sayings and Proverbs About Waiting
Sayings about waiting are complete sentences that share a piece of advice or wisdom. These classic proverbs about patience are still common in everyday English.
- Good things come to those who wait. Patience is often rewarded.
- A watched pot never boils. If you keep checking on something, it seems to take even longer.
- Rome wasn’t built in a day. Important things take time to achieve.
- Patience is a virtue. Being patient is a good quality.
- Time and tide wait for no man. Time keeps moving, so don’t delay.
- They also serve who only stand and wait. Waiting can be valuable too. It’s the last line of John Milton’s sonnet “On His Blindness” (around 1655).
Waiting Idioms That Are Easy to Mix Up
Several waiting idioms look similar but mean very different things. Here are the pairs English learners confuse most often.
| Don’t Confuse… | …With |
|---|---|
| Cool Your Heels: be kept waiting | Kick Your Heels: wait around, bored |
| Kill Time: fill time while waiting | Watch the Clock: wait impatiently for time to pass |
| On Hold: paused for now | On the Back Burner: delayed because it’s low priority |
| Hold Your Horses: wait, don’t rush | Don’t Hold Your Breath: don’t expect it to happen |
| About Time: finally (and annoyed) | In the Nick of Time: only just in time |
| Bated Breath: correct spelling | Baited Breath: a common spelling mistake |
Waiting Idioms for Work, Texts and Everyday Life
Need the right phrase for a real situation? These waiting idioms are natural and easy to use in everyday speech, emails and messages.
- Asking someone to wait: “Sit tight; I’ll be with you in five minutes.” / “Hold your horses, we’re nearly ready.”
- At work: “That project’s on the back burner for now.” / “Exciting news in the pipeline, so watch this space!”
- Chasing a reply: “Don’t leave me hanging; what did they say?”
- Encouraging a friend: “Hang in there. The results will come soon.”
- When it finally happens: “At long last!” / “Better late than never!” / “Totally worth the wait.”
- Being sarcastic: “He said he’d pay me back, but I won’t hold my breath.”
Other Words for Waiting
Sometimes you don’t need a whole idiom, just a different word for waiting. The right choice depends on how long, how patiently and where someone is waiting.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hang around | Wait somewhere informally, often with nothing to do | “We hung around outside the cinema.” |
| Linger | Stay longer than necessary, slowly | “Guests lingered after the party.” |
| Queue | Wait in a line (British; American English says “wait in line”) | “We queued for an hour for tickets.” |
| Stand by | Be ready to act when needed | “Please stand by for an announcement.” |
| Hold on | Wait a moment, especially on the phone | “Hold on, I’ll get a pen.” |
| Delay | A period of waiting caused by a problem | “There’s a 30-minute delay on all flights.” |
| Anticipate | Look forward to something expected | “We anticipate a decision next week.” |
Test Yourself: Waiting Idioms Quiz
Pick the word that completes each idiom. You'll see the answer right away, and your score at the end.
-
I haven't seen my cousin in donkey's ______.
Donkey's years means a very long time.
-
You can argue until the ______ come home, but I won't change my mind.
Until the cows come home means for a very long time, or forever.
-
He'll say sorry when pigs ______.
When pigs fly means never.
-
We sat in reception twiddling our ______ for an hour.
Twiddle your thumbs means wait with nothing to do.
-
The whole country waited on ______ for the election results.
On tenterhooks means nervous and anxious while waiting.
-
Hold your ______! We haven't checked the numbers yet.
Hold your horses means wait and don't rush.
-
The new website has been put on the back ______ until next year.
On the back burner means delayed because it isn't a priority.
-
The ambulance arrived in the nick of ______.
In the nick of time means just before it was too late.
-
Waiting for the kettle to boil is like watching ______ dry.
Like watching paint dry means extremely slow and boring.
-
Don't hold your ______. They never reply to emails.
Don't hold your breath means don't expect it to happen soon, or at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is an Idiom for Waiting a Long Time?
Common idioms for waiting a long time include “for ages”, “take forever”, “for donkey's years”, “a month of Sundays”, “until the cows come home” and “like waiting for Godot”. To describe being bored while you wait, people say “twiddle your thumbs”, “cool your heels” or “like watching paint dry”.
What Are Some Idioms About Waiting?
Popular idioms about waiting include “hold your horses”, “bide your time”, “sit tight”, “on tenterhooks”, “on pins and needles”, “with bated breath”, “kill time”, “put something on hold”, “on the back burner” and “at long last”.
What Is an Idiom for Being Patient?
Idioms for being patient include “bide your time”, “hold your horses”, “sit tight”, “hang in there”, “wait your turn” and “play the waiting game”. A well-known saying is “good things come to those who wait”.
What Is an Idiom for Something That Will Never Happen?
For something that will never happen, people say “when pigs fly”, “till hell freezes over”, “don't hold your breath” or “until the cows come home”. All of them are usually said with a hint of sarcasm.
What Does “Until the Cows Come Home” Mean?
“Until the cows come home” means for a very long time, or forever. It comes from the way cows wander slowly back to the farm at their own pace in the evening. It's used in sentences like “You can argue until the cows come home, but I won't change my mind.”
Is It “Bated Breath” or “Baited Breath”?
The correct spelling is “bated breath”. “Bated” is a short form of “abated”, meaning held back or reduced, so “with bated breath” means holding your breath with excitement or worry. “Baited” is a common mistake; bait is food used to catch fish.
What Is a Formal Way to Say You Waited a Long Time?
In formal writing, avoid idioms and say “after a lengthy delay”, “after a considerable wait”, “after an extended period” or “following a prolonged delay”. For example: “After a lengthy delay, the committee reached a decision.”
