serious waiting

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "serious waiting" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone is waiting for something important or significant, often implying a sense of urgency or gravity. Example: "After the accident, there was serious waiting for news about the victims' conditions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Even in weightier books, when she didn't die penniless and alone, the ending tended to be the same -- but not before some significant sacrifice or serious waiting on the woman's part.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Spencer, his expression now serious, waited for them to quiet, then spoke once more.

Huffington Post

This app eliminates guess-work and saes serious wait-time.

Huffington Post

"The housing unit was a serious disturbance waiting to happen," he wrote.

The New York Times

Indiana made the most serious overture, waiting for Webber to essentially give them the go-ahead to explore sign-and-trade options with the Kings.

The New York Times - Sports

That same year, a prison expert warned that the California Institution for Men in Chino, the site of the recent riot, was "a serious disturbance waiting to happen".

The New York Times

The hospital scenes may dip into melodrama (though the understatement of Marc Petersen, as Sunny's father, helps sidestep sentiment), but for the most part "The New Year" stays focused on its clear-eyed portrait of serious adulthood waiting to happen.

The New York Times

But I've found that if you need a more thorough examination, or something more serious, the waiting times are so long that I may as well have gone back to France".

The Guardian

A long line of passengers with less serious injuries waited to be seen at a triage unit above Track 14, where the train had disembarked after the crash.

The New York Times

She wandered past several ambulances until a police officer led her toward the buses where people with less serious injuries waited to be taken to area hospitals.

The New York Times

After American Crossroads's historic string of defeats in 2012, "Serious gamblers wait to see who Rove is supporting and then bet the house on the other side".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "serious waiting", ensure the context emphasizes the gravity or importance of the situation. This phrase is best suited for scenarios where the outcome of the waiting period has significant implications.

Common error

Avoid using "serious waiting" in informal or trivial situations. The phrase carries a weight of importance and should not be used when a simpler term like "waiting" would suffice. Reserve it for situations where the stakes are high.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "serious waiting" functions as a noun phrase where "serious" modifies "waiting", describing the type or quality of waiting. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

33%

Wiki

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "serious waiting" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a period of anticipation marked by gravity, importance, or anxiety. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's appropriate for formal writing and contexts involving significant stakes. While not very common, its usage adds emphasis to the nature of the waiting period, distinguishing it from ordinary waiting. The phrase appears mostly in news, science and general contexts, avoid using it in casual conversations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intense anticipation

Replaces "waiting" with a synonym that suggests heightened emotional investment and focuses on the feeling before something happens.

grave expectation

Substitutes "serious" with "grave", indicating a solemn and significant waiting period.

anxious delay

Focuses on the worrisome aspect of waiting, changing "serious" to "anxious" to emphasize concern.

momentous pause

Replaces "waiting" with "pause" and uses "momentous" instead of "serious" to highlight the importance of the waiting period.

critical postponement

Highlights the importance of what is being waited for, emphasizing the criticality of the delay

significant suspension

Uses "suspension" to replace waiting and "significant" instead of "serious", altering the tone while maintaining the meaning.

deep suspense

Emphasizes the emotional tension of waiting by using "suspense" and "deep".

earnest deferment

Changes "serious" to "earnest" and "waiting" to "deferment", both of which imply significance and respect.

weighty respite

Alters the phrase to focus on the heaviness and importance of the respite provided by the waiting period.

vital hiatus

Substitutes with related terms to imply that what comes after is dependent on the waiting and is very important.

FAQs

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

Use "serious waiting" to describe situations where the anticipation is filled with concern or importance. For example: "After the surgery, there was "serious waiting" for the test results".

What are some alternatives to "serious waiting"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "intense anticipation", "grave expectation", or "anxious delay".

Is "serious waiting" grammatically correct?

Yes, "serious waiting" is grammatically correct. "Serious" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "waiting".

When is it appropriate to use "serious waiting" versus just "waiting"?

"Serious waiting" should be used when you want to emphasize the gravity, anxiety, or high stakes associated with the waiting period. If the waiting is routine or not particularly significant, "waiting" alone is sufficient.