as in wait
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
there was a delay for our boarding while the airplane unloaded incoming passengers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to linger
to move or act slowly
she ordered the kids to stop delaying and to get to bed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to postpone
to assign to a later time
our guests delayed their departure until after dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of delay
Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025
The Breakup Pill shot in Los Angeles, completing both production and post-production recently, despite delays caused by January’s devastating SoCal wildfires, which destroyed Lorenzo’s home.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
Ryley Amond, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, decisions on social care have been delayed for years, and tax reform has hardly figured.
—Anand Menon, Time, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delay
Noun
Still, many within the nuclear energy industry are hopeful that utilizing federal and public lands would accelerate the buildout of new reactors by reducing delays often encountered throughout the state and federal permitting process.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 17 Oct. 2025
The Breakup Pill shot in Los Angeles, completing both production and post-production recently, despite delays caused by January’s devastating SoCal wildfires, which destroyed Lorenzo’s home.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
Verb
This includes reasonable expenses, such as meals, toiletries and lodging for trips delayed more than six hours or requiring an overnight stay.
—Ryley Amond, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, decisions on social care have been delayed for years, and tax reform has hardly figured.
—Anand Menon, Time, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delay
Noun
-
Lawmakers earlier this year rejected a proposal from state Superintendent Jill Underly to allow retirees in the Wisconsin Retirement System to be rehired for work 30 days after retiring, rather than the current 75-day wait requirement.—
Rory Linnane,
jsonline.com,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Technology integration, specifically AI, is intended to address issues such as long wait times and order complexity—key concerns for both customers and staff following years of operational turbulence and declining same-store sales.—
Ben Kelly,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Chad Molter, executive director of Boulder’s Harvest of Hope Pantry, is also worried about how the lingering government shutdown could surge demand.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
-
After seeing consistent playing time following his February 2024 trade from Memphis and hitting a clutch 3-pointer to help Boston win Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals against Dallas, Tillman tumbled down the depth chart in 2024-25, the result of poor shooting and lingering knee issues.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Trump nominated him in May to lead the office of special counsel, but his appointment was postponed.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The Lysons are fighting the charges, have asked for a jury trial and the case was recently postponed until December.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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His low cross found Pascal Gross for a tap-in at the far post after Luke Shaw had been dragged central trying to cut off Adam Lallana.—
Laurie Whitwell,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Vader moves the blade, raises it, but the shadow seems to only deepen, the pull of the dark side suddenly stronger, a riptide that threatens to drag him under.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Any doubts about the team’s decision should be deferred after what Williams put on display against the Commanders.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Oct. 2025
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But Ohtani did, showing everyone why the Dodgers were willing to pay him $700 million over 10 years, with $680 million of that money deferred.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The innovation could pave the way for medical tools that move through the body’s arteries or inspection devices that crawl into complex machinery.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
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Over three hours, small groups navigate a challenging underground world, scrambling over boulders, belly-crawling through narrow passages, and squeezing through tight spaces to discover hidden marble wonders.—
Heide Brandes,
AFAR Media,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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One poked his head into the live shot and later stuck his hand into the frame, seemingly seeking a fist bump from the reporter.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Kean himself gets a tattoo hand-poked into his skin and applies medieval salves to his wounds.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Deficit reduction has lagged significantly behind the pace seen after previous economic crises, including the Great Recession, when Congress implemented stricter spending caps and fiscal reforms within a few years of recovery.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Nike was previously one of the best growth stories for decades, but past leadership’s decisions have caused the stock to lag since late 2021.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Delay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delay. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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