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CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

making someone wait
Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

Table of contents

Usage summary

Human-verified examples

Expert writing tips

Linguistic context

Ludwig's wrap-up

Alternative expressions

FAQs

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

It is better to deliver the news with a sympathetic but straight-forward manner, rather than making someone wait to hear their fate.

News & Media

The Guardian

There was something to learn from this Kurt was sure this mixed state of guilt and power in making someone wait, the humbling that came with abandonment.

News & Media

Vice

At oral argument, Justice Department lawyer Ginger Anders contended that there was no constitutionally significant distinction between trotting out a drug-sniffing dog during a stop and making someone wait for the dog after a completed stop, so long as the whole affair "falls within the amount of time it usually takes to do a routine traffic stop".

News & Media

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

4. It is unfair to make someone wait until her ninth birthday to have a slumber party.

News & Media

The New York Times - Tech

"We don't want to make someone wait through 45 minutes of the Scott McClellan briefing if they want to see footage of the mudslide".

News & Media

The New York Times

Your own PC, printer and digital camera are waiting to make someone's day.

News & Media

The Guardian - Books

Exchanges are also made in which a donor-patient pair makes a donation to someone waiting for a cadaver kidney, in return for the patient in the pair receiving high priority for a compatible cadaver kidney when one becomes available.

Academia

Harvard University

Ever make someone bleed?

News & Media

The New York Times

Ever make someone cry?

News & Media

The New York Times

Make someone's day.

Wiki

WikiHow

Make someone a PowerPoint presentation.

Wiki

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In professional communication, consider softer alternatives like "apologize for the delay" if you are the one responsible for the wait.

Common error

Do not use the infinitive "to" after "make" in this context. Saying "making someone to wait" is a common error for non-native speakers; causative verbs in the active voice like "make" must be followed by the base form of the second verb.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

4.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "making someone wait" functions as a gerund phrase or a participle phrase depending on its placement in a sentence. It consists of the causative head verb "making", the indefinite pronoun "someone" as the direct object and the bare infinitive "wait" as the object complement. According to Ludwig AI, this structure is robustly used to denote the initiation of a delay.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Wiki

25%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

Science

Social Media

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "making someone wait" is a highly versatile and grammatically correct English phrase. Ludwig AI data confirms that it is used extensively in high-authority sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian. It effectively describes the causative act of delaying another person. While neutral in tone, writers should be mindful of the power dynamics it implies. In professional settings, using alternatives like "keeping someone waiting" might offer a softer nuance. Always remember to use the bare infinitive "wait" without "to" to maintain grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions(10)

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

keeping someone waiting

Focuses more on the duration of the state rather than the initial act of making them wait.

delaying someone

A more concise and slightly more formal alternative.

holding someone up

An idiomatic expression often used for physical or procedural delays.

causing someone to wait

A more analytical and formal structure using a standard causative verb.

forcing someone to wait

Implies a higher degree of compulsion or lack of choice for the waiter.

detaining someone

Much more formal, often implying an official or legal context.

stalling someone

Often implies an intentional delay for a specific tactical reason.

putting someone on hold

Specific to telecommunications or metaphorical delays in progress.

leaving someone hanging

An informal idiom emphasizing the social awkwardness or uncertainty of waiting.

hindering someone

Broadens the meaning to general obstruction of progress.

FAQs

Is "making someone wait" grammatically correct?

Yes, it is perfectly correct. It uses the causative verb "make" followed by an object and a bare infinitive. Ludwig shows its frequent use in reputable publications like The New York Times.

What is a more polite way to say "making someone wait"?

To be more polite, you can use phrases like "keeping someone waiting" or "delaying someone" which sound slightly less forceful.

Should I say "making someone wait" or "making someone to wait"?

You should always use "making someone wait". The causative verb "make" does not take the preposition "to" before the following verb.

When is it appropriate to use "making someone wait"?

It is appropriate in both casual and formal contexts to describe an action that results in a delay. You can find examples of it in legal arguments regarding traffic stops or in social advice on "not making someone wait" for news.

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Table of contents

Usage summary

Human-verified examples

Expert writing tips

Linguistic context

Ludwig's wrap-up

Alternative expressions

FAQs

Source & Trust

84%

Authority and reliability

4.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences:

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making someone waitGrammar usage guide and real-world examples

making someone wait
Grammar usage guide and real-world examples