Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of while

67 similar words · 2 opposite words

Another word for while is when. Other synonyms of while are as, till and providing. The opposite of while is since.

Synonyms and similar words for while

nounAn uncertain duration of time, a period of time.

  • spell
  • spaceAn undefined period of time (without qualifier, especially a short period); a while.
  • throw obsoleteA period of time; a while.

nounAn uncertain long period of time.

nounAn uncertain short moment.

  • bitSpecifically, a small amount of time.
  • bat of an eyeSynonym of blink of an eye.
  • blink of an eyeA moment (a very short period of time).
  • eyeblinkA moment (a very short period of time).
  • flashA very short amount of time.
  • half a moA brief time; a jiffy.
  • instantA very short period of time; a moment.
  • jiffA jiffy; a moment; a short time.
  • jiffyA very short, unspecified length of time.
  • mo
  • moment
  • New York minuteAn instant; an extremely short time.
  • New York secondSynonym of New York minute (“short instant of time”).
  • no timeA very short period of time.
  • secSecond, ¹⁄₆₀ of a minute.
  • secondA short, indeterminate amount of time.
  • span
  • split-secondA fraction of a second; hence (figurative, also attributive) a very short time period; an instant, a moment.
  • spurtA moment, a short period of time.
  • tickA short period of time, particularly a second.
  • triceNow only in the phrase in a trice: a very short time; the blink of an eye, an instant, a moment.
  • twinkA very short moment of time.
  • twinkleA brief moment; a twinkling.
  • twinklingA very short period, notionally the time it takes to blink the eyes.
  • crack British, datedA brief time; an instant; a jiffy.
  • glimpse rareA brief, unspecified amount of time; a moment.
  • jot obsoleteAn instant, a moment.
  • stound archaic, dialectalA brief span of time, moment, instant.

conjunctionDuring the same time that.

  • whilstDuring the whole, or until the end, of the time that; as long as, at the same time.

conjunctionAlthough.

conjunctionUntil.

  • tillUntil, until the time that.

conjunctionAs long as.

  • provided thatSynonym of provided.
  • providingSynonym of provided.
  • so long asDepending upon some condition or requirement; provided that; if, assuming; as long as.

verbTo pass (time) idly.

conjunctionMore synonyms

  • asAt the same time that, during the same time when: while.
  • whenDuring the time that; at the time of the action of the following clause or participle phrase.
  • whilom dialectal, literaryDuring the same time that; while.

Opposite of while

conjunctionMore antonyms

Meaning of while

  1. noun An uncertain duration of time, a period of time.
  2. noun An uncertain long period of time.
  3. noun An uncertain short moment.

Full definition of while

while in other languages

Questions about synonyms of while

What is another word for while?
While has 67 synonyms on Word.ws, such as when, as, till and providing.
What is the opposite of while?
The opposite of while is since. Other antonyms of while are until.
What does while mean?
While means an uncertain duration of time, a period of time.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: while (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of while.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/while. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.