While vs Whilst | Difference Between while and whilst

While and Whilst are both conjunctions that are used in the English language. They are used to connect ideas and clauses in a sentence. Although they have similar meanings and usages, there are slight differences in their usage and connotations in different varieties of English.

While vs Whilst

Meaning for While

While: while means during the time that something else happens or exists. It is used to indicate a temporary state or action.

Meaning for Whilst

Whilst: whilst is a more formal and archaic version of while, and is used in British English. It also means during the time that something else happens or exists, but it is used less commonly in modern English.

Tabular Difference Between While and Whilst 

While	Whilst
Informal	Formal
Parts of speech: conjunction, adverb, noun, verb	Parts of speech: conjunction, adverb
Shorter and more concise	Longer and less concise
Used in both American and British English	Considered more formal and used more commonly in British English
More commonly used in modern English	Considered more archaic and not used as commonly in modern English
Has a wider range of meanings and usages	Used in the same way as “while”, but less commonly
Can be used to express contrast, concession, or simultaneity	Used in the same way as “while”, but with a slightly different connotation
Example: “While I was sleeping, my phone rang.”	Example: “Whilst I agree with your opinion, I still think you should consider the other side.”

Overall, both words have similar meanings and can be used interchangeably in most cases, although “whilst” is considered more formal and less commonly used in modern English.

Usage of While 

While: While is used to introduce a clause that is dependent on another clause. It can be used in a variety of ways, such as to express contrast, concession, or simultaneity.

Examples of While

1. While I was sleeping, my phone rang.
2. I’ll do the dishes while you take out the trash.

Usage of Whilst

Whilst: Whilst is used in the same way as while, but it is more commonly used in British English and is considered more formal.

Examples of Whilst

1. Whilst I agree with your opinion, I still think you should consider the other side.
2. I was listening to music whilst I was working on my essay.
3. Whilst we were on vacation, we visited several museums.

Conclusion

While and whilst are both conjunctions that are used to connect ideas and clauses in a sentence. While is used more commonly in modern English and has a wider range of meanings and usages. Whilst is considered more formal and is used more commonly in British English.