most waiting

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "most waiting" is not grammatically correct and it is not commonly used in written English.
Instead, you could use the phrase "eagerly anticipating" or "long-awaited" in its place. Example: "The most waiting I did was for the arrival of my first child." This sentence could be rewritten to say, "The anticipation I felt for the arrival of my first child was immense."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Most waiting rooms have grim rows of chairs.

The New York Times

By midafternoon, nearly 30 people were lined up outside in frigid temperatures, most waiting for about 20 minutes on the sunless street.

The New York Times

The list of potential medallists is lengthy, pointing to a tense race with most waiting to show their hand until the final laps.

The Guardian - Sport

But with the aisles packed with noisy couples and groups of friends, most waiting to be told to start snogging, a few breaking off excitable chats to kiss, the store manager, Enda Costelloe, confessed he was concerned about safety.

The Guardian

Most waiting staff are either young or foreign - meaning they don't know the law and don't wish to upset their employers.

BBC

"Walk it off", "she'll be right, mate": it's the "suck it up" attitude that leaves most waiting until their arm is dangling off to see a doctor.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Most waited in vain to be included in what was billed as the country's first reliable statistical portrait.

The New York Times

After Massachusetts passed its landmark law in 2006, few people signed up at first – most waited for the deadlines to finalise their coverage decisions.

The Guardian

This newly tuned sense of perspective is the kind of life lesson that some, indeed most, wait a lifetime to learn.

Independent

While some mushers train their teams over the summer or the off-season with wheeled rigs or all-terrain vehicles, most wait until September or October.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Tourists do come but most wait until high summer, until there is at least a chance that the rain will stop.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Instead of using "most waiting", consider restructuring your sentence for clarity. For example, rephrase to "most people are waiting" or use a synonym like "eagerly anticipating" if you want to convey excitement.

Common error

Avoid using "most" directly before a gerund (waiting). This construction often leads to grammatically incorrect sentences. Instead, clarify the subject by specifying who is waiting or use a different grammatical structure altogether.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "most waiting" functions as a noun modifier, but it's grammatically incomplete. According to Ludwig AI, this construction isn't considered standard English. A complete sentence requires a subject and verb.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "most waiting" appears in various contexts such as news, science, and encyclopedias, it is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI flags this construction as non-standard English, recommending restructuring the sentence to include a subject and verb. Instead of "most waiting", consider alternatives like "most people are waiting" or "largely anticipating" for improved clarity and grammatical accuracy. Therefore, it's best to avoid "most waiting" in formal writing and opt for more grammatically sound alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

the majority are waiting

Restructures the sentence to use a more grammatically sound subject-verb agreement.

largely anticipating

Replaces "waiting" with a more formal synonym and uses "largely" to indicate a majority.

mostly expecting

Substitutes "waiting" with "expecting" to convey a sense of anticipation, "mostly" implies a large portion.

primarily awaiting

"Awaiting" is a more formal synonym for "waiting", and "primarily" emphasizes the main focus.

mainly anticipating

Similar to "largely anticipating", but uses "mainly" to specify the primary action.

the largest number are waiting

Rephrases to emphasize the quantity of people who are in a state of waiting.

mostly in expectation

This transforms the phrase into a prepositional phrase indicating a state of expectation.

predominantly in anticipation

A more formal version highlighting the state of anticipation.

with the greatest anticipation

Emphasizes the degree of anticipation, rather than the number of people waiting.

most are in a state of waiting

Transforms the phrase to emphasize a condition or state of being.

FAQs

How can I correct the phrase "most waiting" in a sentence?

To correct "most waiting", restructure your sentence to include a subject. For instance, change it to "most people are waiting" or "the majority are waiting".

What are some alternatives to "most waiting" that sound more natural?

More natural alternatives include phrases like "mostly expecting", "largely anticipating", or "primarily awaiting". These options provide similar meaning with better grammatical structure.

Is "most waiting" grammatically correct?

No, "most waiting" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use a construction that includes a subject and verb, such as "most people wait" or "the majority wait".

What is the difference between "most waiting" and "most people waiting"?

"Most waiting" is grammatically incomplete and doesn't clearly define who is waiting. "Most people waiting" is a clearer and more grammatically sound phrase that specifies the group of individuals in question.