whilst

Whilst means the same as while; the former is more formal, though.

They arrived while/whilst we were having dinner.

While is not used only used to introduce adverbial clauses of time. In more formal usage, it is used to link or balance ideas thatcontrast each other:

While I am happy for us all to eat at home, I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen preparing the food.

My question is can we use 'whilst' instead of 'while' while using to link or balance ideas thatcontrast each other?

Whilst I am happy for us all to eat at home, I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen preparing the food.

Whilst means the same as while; the former is more formal, though.
Whenever you can use one, you can use the other.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aysaa

Whilst means the same as while; the former is more formal, though.

They arrived while/whilst we were having dinner.

While is not used only used to introduce adverbial clauses of time. In more formal usage, it is used to link or balance ideas thatcontrast each other:
While I am happy for us all to eat at home, I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen preparing the food.
My question is can we use 'whilst' instead of 'while' while using to link or balance ideas thatcontrast each other?
Whilst I am happy for us all to eat at home, I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen preparing the food.

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I finally found your question among your unquoted examples. (Maybe it's this new editor at fault).
Yes you can use 'whilst' instead of 'while', as long as you don't assume that the reader will detect a difference. In particular, the reader will not know that you have chosen it "to link or balance ideas thatcontrast each other?"because, as you say in line 1, they mean the same.

I have never said nor written "whilst". Some people might like it, but it's an unnecessary word.

"Whilst" is not used in AmE.