Cool MateJust marking time vs Waiting
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Just marking time
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Waiting
Top 1,000 (very common)
Most formal: WaitingMost common: Waiting
| Just marking time | Waiting | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //dʒʌst ˈmɑːkɪŋ taɪm//🇺🇸 //dʒʌst ˈmɑrkɪŋ taɪm// | 🇬🇧 //ˈweɪtɪŋ//🇺🇸 //ˈweɪtɪŋ// |
| Meaning | Waiting without doing anything useful. | staying in one place until something happens |
| Example | I'm just marking time until my meeting starts. | I am waiting for the bus to arrive. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| Collocations | marking time in a meeting, just marking time at work, feeling like marking time, not just marking time, end up marking time | waiting for someone, waiting in line, waiting on a decision |
| Antonyms | - | rushing, hurrying |
| Common mistakes | Confuse with 'just marking the time', which has a different usage., Using it in overly serious contexts., Believing it implies a positive aspect of waiting. | Using the wrong preposition, like 'waiting to' instead of 'waiting for', Confusing 'wait for' with 'wait on', Overusing in formal contexts where 'await' is more appropriate |
| Usage notes | Used in casual contexts to describe a period of inactivity or waiting. Avoid in formal writing. | Commonly used in both spoken and written contexts. Avoid in very formal writing; instead, you might use 'pending' or 'awaiting'. |
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Frequently asked questions: Just marking time vs Waiting
What's the difference between Just marking time and Waiting?
Just marking time: Waiting without doing anything useful. Waiting: staying in one place until something happens
Which is more formal: Just marking time and Waiting?
Waiting is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Just marking time and Waiting?
Waiting is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Just marking time: I'm just marking time until my meeting starts. Waiting: I am waiting for the bus to arrive.
Can I use Just marking time and Waiting interchangeably?
Not always. Just marking time and Waiting are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.