The meaning of WHILE is a period of time especially when short and marked by the occurrence of an action or a condition : time. How to use while in a sentence.

While and whilst mean the same when we use them as conjunctions. They both mean ‘during the time that something else happens’, or ‘in contrast with something else’.

Whilst and while can be used interchangeably, depending on the function they perform.

dialect Scot and Northern English another word for until: you'll have to wait while Monday for these sheets; you'll never make any progress while you listen to me.

While is a word in the English language that functions both as a noun and as a subordinating conjunction. Its meaning varies largely based on its intended function, position in the phrase and even the writer or speaker's regional dialect.

While describes a length of time. If you were describing a first date, you might say, "We sat there for a while in an incredibly awkward silence." Use the word while to talk about an unspecific period of time, like when you ask your friend if you can borrow his notebook for a while.

Jul 28, 2025 · while (plural (archaic or informal) whiles) An uncertain duration of time, a period of time. synonyms quotations Synonyms: spell; see also Thesaurus: uncertain period He lectured for quite a long while. It’s a long while since anyone lived there, so it’s a ruin now.

n (usually used in adverbial phrases) a period or interval of time: once in a long while trouble or time (esp in the phrase worth one's while): it's hardly worth your while to begin work today the while ⇒ at that time: he was working the while

While definition: a period or interval of time.. See examples of WHILE used in a sentence.

A while is a period of time. They walked on in silence for a while. He was married a little while ago. Working at low intensity means that you can continue to perform the activity for a long while.