1
as in fades
to lose bodily strength or vigor
during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delays
to move or act slowly
the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lags
Preston Fore, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Apple’s Siri lags behind the likes of Microsoft, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini, let alone China’s DeepSeek.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Marion County, the state's largest, lags behind.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 31 Mar. 2026
Enrollment at the Ohio State University medical school mostly matches those figures but lags behind in Latino enrollment.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
While baseball lags the NFL, in part because MLB takes in far less money in national TV rights deals, its franchise values are growing, too, with the average team up 12% this year alone.
—Luisa Beltran, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
However, at present, actually observed AI usage in these areas lags far behind the theoretical potential.
—Essence, 16 Mar. 2026
Despite playing a man down from the 56th minute, the hosts were the better team in the 0-0 draw and Lyon now lags two points behind third-place Marseille in the Ligue 1 standings.
—ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
The ensemble is so well put together, however, that one’s interest never lags.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
As a result, Gen Z still consistently lags older generations in financial literacy across all eight key personal finance areas measured by TIAA, with many young adults struggling to answer basic questions about saving, borrowing, and investing.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Apple’s Siri lags behind the likes of Microsoft, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini, let alone China’s DeepSeek.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 1 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Marion County, the state's largest, lags behind.
—Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 31 Mar. 2026
Enrollment at the Ohio State University medical school mostly matches those figures but lags behind in Latino enrollment.
—Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
While baseball lags the NFL, in part because MLB takes in far less money in national TV rights deals, its franchise values are growing, too, with the average team up 12% this year alone.
—Luisa Beltran, Sportico.com, 18 Mar. 2026
However, at present, actually observed AI usage in these areas lags far behind the theoretical potential.
—Essence, 16 Mar. 2026
Despite playing a man down from the 56th minute, the hosts were the better team in the 0-0 draw and Lyon now lags two points behind third-place Marseille in the Ligue 1 standings.
—ABC News, 15 Mar. 2026
The ensemble is so well put together, however, that one’s interest never lags.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lags
Verb
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The animation is crisp and gorgeous, and there are a few moments of stylization — such as when the main character Coco floats in the air with her mentor Qifrey and the world around them fades from frame — that captures a taste of what makes the manga such a visual triumph.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Most regular solo diners say discomfort fades after the first few times trying it.—
Lauren Schuster,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That delays emptying of the stomach.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
27 Mar. 2026
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But having firefighters wait before starting preparations also delays when they can be dispatched to emergencies, which has lengthened response times — and has likely cost many lives across the city, the 60-page audit says.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Analysts say aspirational luxury consumers, who are more sensitive to inflation and economic slowdowns, could pull back on spending with higher gas prices and food costs.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
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The ban will cause slowdowns and reductions of the city’s basic daily services, including police and fire departments, as well as senior and recreation programs, Hernandez said.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the state’s view, that weakens or muddies the legal boundary between the two types of gambling venues.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Justice delayed weakens deterrence.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the premiere, Aunt Lydia’s promise lingers over Offred’s head like the blade of a guillotine.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Thus, the question lingers—If removing Steve Bannon from the CPAC speaker lineup results in getting AT&T as an event sponsor instead of Patriot Mobile, is that a win or a loss for MAGA?—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The roof flakes, the porch sags.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
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Their constant companion in the campaign is the Amazona 180 bag that made its debut on the Loewe runway last October, a slouchy, one-handle style that sags open when left unzipped.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As the war drags on, Americans are growing pessimistic about the economy, according to some surveys and polls.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
1 Apr. 2026
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And in late February, just as attention began to shift away from Gaza, Israel and the United States launched a joint attack on Iran—a potentially epochal war that may end up dividing Jewish Americans no less than the Gaza war did, particularly if the conflict drags on and casualties mount.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Places such as Anstruther and Crail provide natural pauses, with the former offering one of Scotland’s most beautiful tidal pools, offering everything from fresh seafood to small galleries and historic streets to explore.—
Rosie Conroy,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
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Still in effect are various other pauses on legal migration – including a pause on the issuing of immigrant visas for 75 countries, and a pause on all immigration applications from countries covered by the travel ban.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lags. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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