lag 1 of 3

Definition of lagnext

lag

2 of 3

adjective

lag

3 of 3

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lag different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of lag are dally, dawdle, delay, loiter, and procrastinate. While all these words mean "to move or act slowly so as to fall behind," lag implies failure to maintain a speed set by others.

lagging behind in technology

When might dally be a better fit than lag?

Although the words dally and lag have much in common, dally suggests delay through trifling or vacillation when promptness is necessary.

stop dallying and get to work

When is delay a more appropriate choice than lag?

In some situations, the words delay and lag are roughly equivalent. However, delay usually implies a putting off of something (such as a beginning or departure).

we cannot delay any longer

How do loiter and dawdle relate to one another, in the sense of lag?

Both loiter and dawdle imply delay while in progress, especially in walking, but dawdle more clearly suggests an aimless wasting of time.

loitered at several store windows
children dawdling on their way home from school

In what contexts can procrastinate take the place of lag?

While in some cases nearly identical to lag, procrastinate implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy.

procrastinates about making decisions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lag
Verb
However, systems designed to detect fake images will almost always lag behind systems designed to create them. Nan Li, The Conversation, 22 June 2026 When Davis took the reins at the company, Columbia was lagging behind in the ‘60s rock revolution. Chris Morris, Variety, 22 June 2026
Adjective
However, his skill level and feel lag way behind his athletic indicators. John Hollinger, New York Times, 20 June 2026 Get worse over the next few weeks, but that still – that has a lag effect. CBS News, 4 May 2026
Noun
Monetary policy famously works with a lag, so the effects are not immediate. Rachel Barber, USA Today, 17 June 2026 Election officials have said their numbers were always correct and that the discrepancy was based on a one-minute lag in vote updates for Pratt by The Associated Press, which also confirmed the lag. Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lag
Verb
  • But Rosales said that tradition was fading, possibly another casualty of a more cutthroat political climate.
    Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026
  • The pen barrel depicts fields of wheat that fade into plowed farmland and trees, with distant mountains rising beneath a vast open sky.
    Nancy Olson, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Verb
  • Still, some experts say the lack of awareness may delay some eligible adults from taking advantage of the new coverage and getting on the treatments immediately.
    Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 28 June 2026
  • The last time Colombia played at Miami Stadium, the 2024 Copa América final against Argentina was delayed more than 75 minutes after a security breach involving ticketless fans, with some appearing to enter through air vents.
    Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 28 June 2026
Adjective
  • Turns out, a kid brought in with gunshot wounds died in that room the same night, and a final look at the security footage shows a mysterious third man — clearly hiding his face from all cameras under a label-less baseball cap — entering the same room around the same time as Ji.
    Andy Andersen, Vulture, 27 June 2026
  • Leiter said the final destination of the framework is peace between the two countries.
    Ben Finley, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
Noun
  • Last year, however, marked another slowdown, which experts largely attributed to a decline in international migration.
    Ignacio Calderon, USA Today, 23 June 2026
  • An attempt to ease zoning and permitting rules Many housing experts point to local zoning and red tape as the root of the slowdown in homebuilding.
    Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • Peptide skin-care products have the unique ability to target a host of skin concerns, from sagging to an impaired skin barrier, in part because there are so many different types of peptides.
    Deanna Pai, Vogue, 24 June 2026
  • During my thirties, sagging skin wasn’t really an issue for me.
    Leah Groth, InStyle, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • The town’s predicament highlights the limits of any ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel, and the lingering hardship faced by residents whose lives have been upended by years of conflict.
    Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
  • Robertson answered any lingering questions about his game with his franchise-caliber play.
    Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • The video is the latest in a lengthy stream of controversies the probation department has faced in recent years.
    James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023
  • The shooting happened the day before the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that killed 17 and is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S.
    Joey Cappelletti and Mike Householder, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Feb. 2023
Noun
  • What drives the hesitation is rarely bad code.
    Khurram Javed Mir, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • At the center of KeyBanc’s hesitation is Starship, the giant reusable rocket that Musk, the CEO, has described as critical to the future of satellite deployment, deep-space exploration and, eventually, colonization of Mars.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Lag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lag. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.

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