had been awaiting

USAGE SUMMARY

"had been awaiting" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is the past perfect continuous tense form of “to await.” You would use this tense to express that something had been starting in the past and continuing up until another point in the past. Example sentence: He had been awaiting her arrival for days.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Books

Sports

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He had been awaiting sentencing, which was scheduled for November.

The New York Times

Most residents had been awaiting an order to move out.

The New York Times

His aides said they had been awaiting information before proceeding.

The Guardian

The unions had been awaiting Mr. Tilton's response.

The New York Times

At last the judgment he had been awaiting all his life had been delivered.

The Guardian - Books

who had been awaiting a decision on his status from Vincent.

The New York Times - Sports

He had been awaiting transfer to a separate North Star camp for observation.

The New York Times

It looked obvious to me that three existing sections had been awaiting a fourth.

The Guardian - Books

Mediators had been awaiting the outcome of the Turkish elections before proceeding, officials said.

The New York Times

He had been awaiting permission to travel to the US to study.

The Guardian

He told me that he had been awaiting deportation for too long.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had been awaiting" to emphasize the duration of the waiting period leading up to a specific event or point in time. For example, "She had been awaiting the results of the election for weeks."

Common error

Avoid using simple past tense ('was awaiting') when the emphasis should be on the continuous duration of the wait up to a certain point in the past. "Had been awaiting" provides a clearer timeline.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had been awaiting" functions as the past perfect continuous tense of the verb 'to await.' It indicates an action that started in the past, continued over a period of time, and was completed before another point in the past. Ludwig provides numerous examples illustrating this usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Books

9%

Sports

6%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "had been awaiting" is a versatile verb phrase that effectively communicates anticipation or expectation over a duration in the past. According to Ludwig, it is grammatically correct and frequently appears in various contexts, particularly in news and media. The phrase functions as the past perfect continuous tense of the verb 'to await,' emphasizing an action that began in the past and continued until a specific point in the past. Several alternatives exist, such as "had been expecting" or "had been anticipating", offering slight variations in meaning. To ensure clarity, it's essential to use "had been awaiting" when you want to emphasize the continuous nature of the waiting period leading up to a particular event. Avoiding the simpler past tense ("was awaiting") ensures your writing maintains the intended emphasis on duration. With its wide applicability and clear grammatical function, "had been awaiting" is a valuable addition to any writer's toolkit.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

had been waiting for

A simpler, more direct way of expressing the same idea.

had been anticipating

Emphasizes expectation and preparation more strongly than awaiting.

had been expecting

Focuses on a belief that something would happen, rather than actively waiting.

had been looking forward to

Highlights a sense of pleasure and eagerness associated with the wait.

had been counting on

Emphasizes the reliance and dependence on something.

had been standing by for

Suggests readiness and availability to act when something happens.

had been on the lookout for

Highlights the active and vigilant nature of the waiting.

had been prepared for

Implies readiness and acceptance of something that was to come.

had been in expectation of

A more formal and less common way to express anticipation.

had been reckoning on

Suggests reliance on something happening.

FAQs

How to use "had been awaiting" in a sentence?

Use "had been awaiting" to describe a state of waiting that started in the past and continued until a specific moment also in the past. For example: "They "had been awaiting" the verdict when the news broke."

What can I say instead of "had been awaiting"?

You can use alternatives like "had been expecting", "had been anticipating", or "had been waiting for" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "was awaiting" or "had been awaiting"?

"Had been awaiting" is used to emphasize the continuous nature of the waiting up to a past point. "Was awaiting" implies a simpler, non-continuous wait. The choice depends on the intended emphasis.

What's the difference between "had been awaiting" and "had awaited"?

"Had been awaiting" signifies a continuous action of waiting, while "had awaited" simply indicates that the waiting occurred before another past event. The continuous form emphasizes the duration of the waiting.