tardy

1 of 2

adjective

tar·​dy ˈtär-dē How to pronounce tardy (audio)
tardier; tardiest
1
: moving slowly : sluggish
the tardy pace at which she was obliged to walkCharles 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)

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
While most of the Buoy 10 fleet shifted its gear and followed a decent upriver fall chinook run to Bonneville Dam and beyond, picking through catches to select silver over boot, both ocean and Buoy 10 holdouts are finally enjoying the arrival of tardy coho. Bill Monroe, oregonlive, 8 Sep. 2023 The feed to Jacques was tardy, allowing another run to score as the Rockies extended their advantage to 4-2. Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 13 June 2023 Some automakers may have been a bit tardy filing their paperwork because, a few weeks later, more EVs were eligible, although many were still ineligible, including the Nissan. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 16 Oct. 2023 Topline Despite lots of talk about economic anxieties across the Golden State, only 0.95 percent of California debts were tardy in the second quarter. Jonathan Lansner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2023 The Legislature’s budget is the tardiest in more than two decades, excluding the chaotic first year of the COVID pandemic. Samantha J. Gross, BostonGlobe.com, 28 July 2023 The Legislature did not reach and pass an agreement until the final day of July, making this year its tardiest performance in delivering a plan in more than two decades — excluding the chaotic first year of the COVID pandemic. Matt Stout, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Aug. 2023 Unit 3 entered service seven years behind schedule, and Unit 4 could be just as tardy by the time it’s powered up later this year or in early 2024. Drew Kann, ajc, 4 Aug. 2023 What not to do Kindly do not respond with insults, scolding admonitions or uselessly tardy advice, all of which people have taken the time to send since Drissman posted bulletins on social media and at 911 Parrot Alert. Detroit Free Press, 23 July 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tardy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of tardy was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near tardy

Cite this Entry

“Tardy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tardy. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on tardy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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