tardiness
noun
tar·di·ness
ˈtär-dē-nəs 
: the quality or state of being tardy or late
Students might be sent to Saturday school for any of various infractions, such as tardiness, truancy, smoking, failure to deliver class-work, or creating a disturbance.—
Anne H. Soukhanov
Anne H. SoukhanovWhat you really need is a story that will not only excuse tardiness but encourage your boss to give you the entire day off.—Jeff Foxworthy
Jeff FoxworthyHis habitual tardiness got him fired from job after job, yet he couldn't see the consequences of his actions.—June Kinoshita
June KinoshitaExamples of tardiness in a Sentence
habitual tardiness will be recorded in your personnel file
Recent Examples on the Web
The Arizona Republic reported that Nanos stepped down from the El Paso Police Department in 1982 after being accused of a series of infractions, including excessive force, off-duty gambling, improperly using his siren, and tardiness.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 11 Mar. 2026
The Arizona Republic cites records obtained from the El Paso PD that purportedly include allegations of insubordination, insufficiency, tardiness, and numerous disciplinary reviews related to accusations of excessive force, dereliction of duty, and off-duty gambling.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
The timing of this recent turn to tanking is just another example of the helpless, tireless tardiness that has plagued the Karnišovas era in Chicago.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
Her slip dress and his tardiness show us that the two have a very different idea of what constitutes effort — that’s intelligent costuming.
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tardiness
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Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 11 Mar. 2026
The Arizona Republic cites records obtained from the El Paso PD that purportedly include allegations of insubordination, insufficiency, tardiness, and numerous disciplinary reviews related to accusations of excessive force, dereliction of duty, and off-duty gambling.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
The timing of this recent turn to tanking is just another example of the helpless, tireless tardiness that has plagued the Karnišovas era in Chicago.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
Her slip dress and his tardiness show us that the two have a very different idea of what constitutes effort — that’s intelligent costuming.
—Rachel Tashjian, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tardiness
Cite this Entry
“Tardiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tardiness. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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