The words “wait” and “weight” sound the same, which can make them confusing! But these terms also differ entirely in meaning, so make sure you can use them correctly in your writing by checking out our guide below.
As a verb, “wait” refers to letting time pass until something happens:
We are waiting for the train to arrive.
I can’t wait for the weekend to come!
She waited for him outside while he got dressed.
And as a noun, it refers to a period of time spent waiting:
We have a long wait ahead of us.
After a two-hour wait, I finally spoke to the manager.
More rarely, it can also refer to serving food or drink to someone:
I’ve been waiting tables at this restaurant for three years.
Someone who “waits” in this sense is often known as a waiter or waitress.
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In most cases, “weight” is a noun meaning either:
Less literally, “weight” can refer to something’s importance or influence:
I give a lot of weight to what she says on this subject.
He is throwing his weight behind the wrong candidate.
And more rarely, “weight” can be a verb meaning “weigh down”:
The balloon is weighted with sandbags.
This is different to the verb “weigh,” though, which means “measure the weight of” or “be a certain weight.” Keep an eye out for that final “t”!
While these words sound similar, they’re very different in practice:
To tell these words apart, remember that “weight” is spelled like “height,” and both “weight” and “height” are things you can measure!
If you’d like expert assistance with your spelling, though, we’re here to help! You can even upload a trial document and try our service for free.
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