# wait in the wings

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/wait-in-the-wings
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To be about to become important or central.

## Examples

- The new manager is waiting in the wings.
- While the current director finishes his term, his successor is waiting in the wings to take over.
- With the aging monarch showing signs of fatigue, the ambitious prince waits in the wings, ready to claim the throne at a moment's notice.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.