await

Await is a verb meaning to wait for something or someone. It is used primarily in formal or literary contexts and often conveys a sense of anticipation or expectation. Await is transitive and takes a direct object, as in "We await your reply." In everyday speech, people typically say "wait for" with an intransitive sense, e.g., "We are waiting for the bus."

The form can appear in active or passive constructions. Active: "The committee awaits the decision." Passive: "The decision is awaited by the committee." In both cases, the emphasis is on anticipating the outcome rather than the act of waiting itself. Because of its formality, await tends to appear in official statements, journalism, legal language, ceremonial writing, and literary prose.

Usage notes include the distinction from wait for. While both express anticipation, await is more formal and often used when the speaker wants to foreground the event or result rather than the act of waiting. It typically does not take the preposition for after it when used with a direct object.

Examples: "We await the results of the inquiry." "Citizens awaited the verdict with cautious optimism." "The crowd awaits the announcement." The word can also appear in compound phrases or clauses, maintaining a formal tone.

See also: expect, anticipate, look forward to, wait (verb).