tardy

1 of 2

adjective

tar·​dy ˈtär-dē 

tardier; tardiest

1

: moving slowly : sluggish

… the tardy pace at which she was obliged to walk.

—Charles Dickens

2

: delayed beyond the expected or proper time : late

a tardy arrival

tardy

2 of 2

noun

plural tardies

: an instance of being tardy (as to a class)

Synonyms of tardy

Adjective

• leisurely
• slow
• dilatory
• lagging

Examples of tardy in a Sentence

Adjective

She was tardy to work.

They were tardy in filing the application.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The likes of tardy tax refunds at the IRS, super-slow disability resolutions at the SSA, and long phone hold times at both agencies are among the most prominent failings that prod so many Americans into believing that government doesn’t work. —Shawn Tully, Fortune, 31 Jan. 2026

If a filer forgoes an extension and files late, the person risks additional fees for the tardy submission. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026

And now that the Biden-era law requiring airlines to compensate passengers for extensive flight delays has been withdrawn, tardy departures can be even more frustrating. —Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 15 Dec. 2025

And speaking of interesting postgame tactics, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa called out teammates for not attending players-only meetings and for being generally tardy. —Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

alteration of earlier tardif, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *tardivus, from Latin tardus

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1960, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tardy

• hardie
• lardy
• pardy
• foolhardy
• sephardi

Kids Definition

tardy

adjective

tar·​dy

ˈtärd-ē

tardier; tardiest

1

: moving slowly : sluggish

2

: not on time : late

tardily

ˈtärd-ə-lē

adverb

tardiness

ˈtärd-ē-nəs

noun