a stratagem in which action on a matter is reserved for or postponed to a later time, allowing one to wait for a more advantageous time to act or to see what develops in the meantime.
Origin
1885-90
Examples from the web for waiting game
T cells over three days, and then the waiting game began.
If it points toward life, the legal waiting game continues, sometimes well beyond seven years.
The endless waiting game is over: no waiting for a rented car, tee time, or tennis court.
It is a waiting game out there along the parade route of cures and declines.
During the waiting game, a squirrel bark call or distress call can really get them barking, giving away their location.
The next day they refueled the plane, and began to play the weather waiting game again-but this time, from the ground.
Anyone who has been called for jury duty knows the waiting game on whether you will serve on a jury can be tough.
College baseball plays waiting game with uniform start date.
waiting game proving tough for some high school stars.
British Dictionary definitions for waiting game
waiting game
noun
1.
the postponement of action or decision in order to gain the advantage