delay 1 of 2

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

delay

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of delay are dally, dawdle, lag, loiter, and procrastinate. While all these words mean "to move or act slowly so as to fall behind," delay usually implies a putting off of something (such as a beginning or departure).

we cannot delay any longer

Where would dally be a reasonable alternative to delay?

The words dally and delay can be used in similar contexts, but dally suggests delay through trifling or vacillation when promptness is necessary.

stop dallying and get to work

When can lag be used instead of delay?

In some situations, the words lag and delay are roughly equivalent. However, lag implies failure to maintain a speed set by others.

lagging behind in technology

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

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

When is procrastinate a more appropriate choice than delay?

The synonyms procrastinate and delay are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 delay
Noun
However, the case has been marked by a series of delays after his first trial ended in a hung jury. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 13 May 2025 Speaking to reporters in the White House on Monday, Trump said any acceptance of the aircraft would be due to delays at U.S. manufacturer Boeing, which makes the famed double-deck 747. Sam Meredith,jenni Reid, CNBC, 12 May 2025
Verb
The vote for the student zoning was delayed after many parents and community members objected to a plan that would move around 100 elementary students at Marie G. Davis School in southwest Charlotte to the already overcrowded Dilworth Elementary for the 2025-26 school year. Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 14 May 2025 But the problem, advocates say, is that internal investigations could be repeatedly delayed so long that they would not be finalized until after an officer had retired or been promoted to a high-level position, such as chief. Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for delay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delay
Noun
  • Residents calling the department’s Medicaid call center during 2023 had average wait times of 32 minutes.
    Christopher O’Donnell, Miami Herald, 17 May 2025
  • Beyoncé made the wait worthwhile, though fans had a right to feel frustrated.
    Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • The finish is medium-long and sweet, with lingering baking spice and a touch of aged oak.
    Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
  • After so much anticipation, some observers were disappointed by the lingering uncertainty over the exact whereabouts of the spacecraft’s grave.
    Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2025
Verb
  • Identify essential components and determine what can be scaled down, postponed or adapted—without losing core value.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
  • Weather or unforeseen circumstances could postpone the closures, the releases state.
    Gael Langdon, Arkansas Online, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Andre needs some help The Brazil international midfielder dragged himself from the field near the end on Saturday, with Pereira later allaying any fears about an injury.
    Steve Madeley, New York Times, 12 May 2025
  • Gunther dragged Cole into the ring and threatened to power bomb Cole before McAfee interrupted with a bicycle kick.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Verb
  • Commissioners deferred the vote on the plan to June 9 over landscaping concerns.
    Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 16 May 2025
  • And when Ohtani became a free agent, Moreno could have said yes to the same terms the Dodgers did — 10 years, $700 million, with all but $20 million deferred.
    Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • When the window broke, the bear crawled out safely and returned to the woods.
    Shyla Watson, People.com, 10 May 2025
  • Inspectors saw one rat crawling from the top equipment shelf in an unapproved back dry storage area onto the roof, and another rat on an electrical line behind a two-door household freezer/refrigerator in the same dry storage area.
    Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • During that same April 5 episode, Weekend Update’s Colin Jost poked fun at the singer in a bit about the economy.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 12 May 2025
  • The contest did not last long as Edwards poked Muhammad in the eye 18 seconds into the second round.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Verb
  • Regulatory compliance seeks to enforce security best practices but can lag behind evolving threats.
    Vincent Danen, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
  • White smartly lagged behind the action and was able to step into another wide-open 3.
    James L. Edwards III, New York Times, 15 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Delay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delay. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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