Standing by
Waiting and standing by are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Waiting" instead an adjective "Standing by".
Waiting
Waiting adjective - Being and remaining ready and available for use.
Standing by and waiting are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Standing by" instead an adjective "Waiting".
Mutual synonyms
Both terms in one sentence
- At the end of the pilot, when the spacebridge was exploding with Megatron on it, it's worth noting that Starscream even warned Megatron about the danger he was in, rather than standing by and waiting or actively helping Megatron to die.
Source: Analysis / Transformers Prime - If they're flashing a phone number on the screen, then you can bet you will be told that the operators are standing by, waiting for you to give their drab, dull lives meaning.
Source: Operators Are Standing By - In Sourcery, a wizard is about to die (Death is standing by, waiting) and gives his staff to his newborn son—then projects himself and his wizard powers into it.
Source: Bequeathed Power
Cite this Source
Waiting and Standing by. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 03, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/standing_by/waiting
Standing by & Waiting. N.p., 2016. Web. 03 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/standing_by/waiting>.
Waiting or Standing by. 2016. Accessed August 03, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/standing_by/waiting.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "standing by" and "waiting" have occurred on timeline