How do you use the word "whilst" in a sentence?

Q: How do you use the word "whilst" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "whilst": The performers danced whilst singing - they performed extremely well. Whilst at university, Xiaowang held the post of class monitor.

Whilst Meaning

/waɪlst/

Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

advOften preceded by the: During the time; meanwhile.

conjSynonym of while., During the whole, or until the end, of the time that; as long as, at the same time.

Sentence Examples

The performers danced whilst singing - they performed extremely well.

Whilst at university, Xiaowang held the post of class monitor.

In the UK it is illegal to drive whilst holding a mobile phone.

CEFR Practice Quiz

The children played happily in the garden ____ the rain fell outside.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

He listened to music ____ he was working in the garden, a habit that helped him to stay several very relaxed today.

Word Origin & History

From Late Middle English whilst, whilest, qwhilste (Northern England), quilest (Northwest Midlands) [and other forms], from whiles (“during the time that, while; only so long as; provided that; because, since; until”) + -t (excrescent suffix, perhaps due to a combination of -(e)s and the following word the, or influenced by the superlative suffix -est). Whiles is derived from whiles (“period of time, a while”, noun) (probably from the second element of adverbs and conjunctions like otherwhiles and somewhiles), from while (“period of time, a while”, noun) + -s (suffix forming adverbs of manner, space, and time); and while is from Old English hwīl (“period of time, a while”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *hwīlō (“period of time, a while; period of rest, break, pause”), from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“to rest; peace, rest”). The English word can be analysed as whiles + -t (excrescent suffix appended to words suffixed with -s). cognates * West Frisian wylst (“whilst”)

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"Nay, I prethee put on this gown, & this beard, make him beleeue thou art ſir Topas the Curate, doe it quickly. Ile call ſir Toby the whilſt." — c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 270, column 2:

"Hero. Leave, leave, tis novv too late. She is dead, her laſt is breathed. / Cleo[phila]. VVhat ſhall vvee doe. / Her[o]. Goe run, / And tell the Duke; and vvhilſt ile cloſe her eyes." — c. 1607–1611 (first performance), Franc[is] Beaumont, Jo[hn] Fletcher, Cupids Revenge. […], 3rd edition, London: […] A[ugustine] M[atthews], published 1635, →OCLC, Act II, scene [v], signature [D4], recto:

"What money have I bought with me? […] even but a small sum; something in hand the whilst." — 1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, chapter X, in Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 209:

"I ſaw a Smith ſtand with his hammer (thus) / The whilſt his Iron did on the Anuile coole." — c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii], page 16, column 1:

"[…] Ile nere be drunk whilſt I liue againe, but in honeſt, ciuill, godly company for this tricke: if I be drunke, Ile be drunke with thoſe that haue the feare of God, and not with drunken knaues." — c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 40, column 2:

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