waiting period

American  

noun

1. a specified delay, required by law, between officially stating an intention and acting on it, as between securing a marriage license and getting married.

2. Insurance. the required delay between the date of inception of a claim and the date on which the indemnity becomes payable, as in workmen's compensation insurance or unemployment insurance.

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Example Sentences

The trade-offs are more modest payments — typically between $5,000 and $25,000 with $50-plus monthly premiums — and a waiting period of about 2 to 3 years before the full benefit kicks in.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

The traditional waiting period is intended to give the companies time to demonstrate that they are stable and liquid enough to handle extensive buying from index funds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

The Finland-born 26-year-old married Mitrofanov, a Wisconsin native, in 2024, but the waiting period for citizenship after marriage is at least three years.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

But expiration of the waiting period without issue signals smooth sailing ahead.

From Barron's • Jan. 7, 2026

We found out that only a few days before, the state law had been changed, and now Indiana had a long waiting period.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey