What does async/await mean in software engineering?

Async/await is a JavaScript syntax pattern that simplifies writing asynchronous code. The async keyword marks a function as asynchronous, and the await keyword pauses execution until a promise resolves. It makes asynchronous code look similar to synchronous code, which is easier to understand and maintain.

How do you use async/await in a sentence at work?

You can use it as a technical concept in discussions: I refactored the function to use async/await for better readability. Or as an adjective: The async/await approach is cleaner than callback-based code. Or in recommendations: We should convert this to async/await before shipping.

Is async/await formal or informal?

Async/await is neutral in formality. It is technical jargon used equally in casual team conversations, code reviews, documentation, and formal presentations. The context of your sentence determines formality, not the term itself.

What is the difference between async/await and promises?

Promises are the underlying JavaScript feature for handling asynchronous operations. Async/await is a modern syntax built on top of promises that makes code easier to read and write. All async/await code uses promises internally, but async/await looks cleaner and feels more like synchronous code.

When should I use async/await?

Use async/await whenever you need to handle asynchronous operations like API calls, file reading, or database queries. It is the recommended approach in modern JavaScript for any function that waits for a promise or returns a promise. It is standard in professional codebases and expected in job interviews.

async/await meaning in tech — Speak Tech English

Commonness	5/5
Versatility	5/5
Formality	CasualFormalNeutral
Spoken ↔ Written	SpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ Diplomatic	DirectDiplomaticDirect
Region	US and UK

Say it like this

✓We should refactor that function to use async/await

✓This endpoint is already async/await-ready

✓Let us wrap the API call in async/await to handle errors better

Real examples

in a standup

"I finished the user authentication module yesterday by converting the callback functions to async/await."

in a code review

"This code would be much cleaner if you used async/await instead of nested promise chains."

in a team meeting

"The new junior developer is still learning async/await patterns, so we paired him with someone experienced."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Often confused with promises or callbacks. Async/await is a syntax pattern, not a concept that replaces asynchronous programming itself.

✕Using await without wrapping it in an async function

✓Always wrap await calls inside an async function— The await keyword only works inside async functions; using it elsewhere causes a syntax error

✕Saying async/await replaces promises entirely

✓Say async/await is a cleaner syntax for working with promises— Async/await is built on top of promises and depends on them; it is just syntactic sugar

✕Forgetting to handle errors when using await

✓Wrap await calls in try/catch blocks or use .catch() methods— Without error handling, rejected promises will crash your application

Other forms

phrase

async/await

"The team decided to implement async/await throughout the entire API layer."

adjective

async/await-based

"Our async/await-based approach reduced response times significantly."

Often used with

use async/awaitThe most common collocation; means to implement or employ the syntax

async/await syntaxRefers to the specific grammatical structure and rules of async/await

refactor to async/awaitMeans to rewrite existing code using the async/await pattern

async/await functionA function declared with the async keyword that can use await

try/catch with async/awaitThe standard way to handle errors in async/await code

Similar words

promise chainsOlder syntax for handling asynchronous code; less readable than async/await

callbacksEven older approach; async/await and promises are preferred in modern JavaScript

coroutinesA computer science concept; async/await is the implementation of coroutines in JavaScript

Opposites

synchronous codeblocking operations

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Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your colleague asks how to improve readability in async code. What do you say?

We should use async/await instead of .then() chains.We should async/await this code.The code needs more async/await.Let us make this async/await.

Complete the sentence

2. The backend team is _______ the entire data layer to use _______ for consistency.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses async/await incorrectly?

We refactored the API endpoints to use async/await for better error handling.The new codebase is written entirely in async/await.Our async/await function retrieves user data from the database.I learned async/await last week and it really improved my code quality.

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite this in natural tech English using async/await: 'The function uses promises with .then() and .catch() methods, and we should make it simpler.'

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "async/await" in a standup this week?

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