possibly waiting

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "possibly waiting" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express uncertainty about someone or something being in a state of waiting. Example: "The train is possibly waiting at the station for the scheduled departure."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

In the event, air support was not needed as the North Vietnamese paused for a week at the outskirts of Saigon, possibly waiting for the South Vietnamese government to collapse and avoiding a possible confrontation with the U.S. by allowing the mostly-unopposed evacuation of Americans from Saigon.

Wikipedia

Poor management and lack of resources meant possibly waiting hours for police to respond to calls.

The Economist

It disappeared in 1898 and now lies who knows where, quite possibly waiting to be rediscovered all over again.

The Guardian - Books

The Duggars were evasive, possibly waiting to see how the public reacted to the interview before taking their next steps.

The Guardian

Previously, we have shown that in 1D the optimal control solution is for each agent to move at maximum speed and switch directions at a sequence of locations, possibly waiting for some time at a target.

IFAC-PapersOnLine

The trade-off would be significant: lower Social Security benefits for life ― and possibly waiting as much as a year longer to retire, according to analysts.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

"If you possibly wait until Tuesday, it's five days between at-bats," Manager Joe Girardi said.

The New York Times

Having to possibly wait in the station with Beppe for the next train frightened me.

The New York Times

Nor could you possibly wait for a fresh sandwich to be made — not enough time!

The New Yorker

It will allow time to survey current community needs, he said, and possibly wait out a soured housing market.

The New York Times

Not a single one of them said that there were radical reforms that were so urgently necessary that they couldn't possibly wait a year.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "possibly waiting", ensure the context provides clarity on what is being waited for. This adds precision and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "possibly waiting" in every sentence; vary your language with synonyms like "potentially awaiting" or "perhaps anticipating" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "possibly waiting" functions as an adverbial modifier combined with a verb phrase, indicating a state of potential anticipation or delay. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

12%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "possibly waiting" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express uncertainty about a state of waiting. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage. It appears most frequently in News & Media, Wiki, and Scientific contexts, indicating a neutral to slightly formal register. While the phrase is correct, varying your language with alternatives like "potentially awaiting" or "perhaps anticipating" can enhance your writing. Remember to maintain clarity by specifying what is being waited for to avoid ambiguity. The analyzed examples from Ludwig highlight the phrase's diverse application in various scenarios, from political analysis to personal anecdotes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

potentially awaiting

Emphasizes the potential nature of the waiting, implying it might not happen.

conceivably expecting

Highlights the expectation aspect, suggesting it's within the realm of possibility.

perhaps anticipating

Focuses on the anticipation, indicating a level of expectation before the waiting.

maybe lingering

Suggests a prolonged waiting period, potentially longer than initially anticipated.

likely pausing

Implies a temporary halt or break, suggesting a wait within an activity.

feasibly delaying

Focuses on the delay aspect, indicating a postponement that is realistically possible.

imaginably tarrying

Suggests a more fanciful or hypothetical scenario of waiting.

theoretically holding

Indicates a conditional wait, depending on a specific scenario.

speculatively biding time

Emphasizes the speculative nature of the waiting, often for strategic reasons.

hypothetically stalling

Similar to lingering, but more conditional, indicating the action is not certain.

FAQs

How can I use "possibly waiting" in a sentence?

You can use "possibly waiting" to express uncertainty about someone or something being in a state of waiting. For example, "The package is "possibly waiting" at the post office for pickup".

What are some alternatives to "possibly waiting"?

You can use alternatives like "potentially awaiting", "perhaps anticipating", or "maybe lingering" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "possibly waiting"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. "Possibly" is an adverb that modifies the verb "waiting", indicating a degree of uncertainty.

What's the difference between "possibly waiting" and "likely waiting"?

"Possibly waiting" suggests a lower probability compared to "likely waiting". "Likely" implies a higher degree of certainty or expectation.