1
as in lingering
to move or act slowly
she ordered the kids to stop delaying and to get to bed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in postponing
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 delaying
If there are no seats, there’ll be no place to put sick passengers and the train will have to stay in the station, delaying the system.
—
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 12 June 2026
From stunting and weakening plant growth to delaying flower production, these 1/10th-inch-long pests can wreak havoc.
—Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
The Vance family makes things work by delaying future costs, such as buying a larger home.
—Andrea Steffes-Tuttle, Denver Post, 12 June 2026
While delaying care may seem like a practical way to manage vet costs in the short term, putting off treatment can sometimes create larger financial and medical challenges in the future.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 11 June 2026
According to the letter, Paramasivam was denied permission to leave early and forced to finish her shift, delaying treatment that might have saved her life.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
Many of them had just come home from the war and were reunited with honeys who had been waiting, hoping, delaying.
—Joe Klein, Washington Post, 11 June 2026
If the game runs longer than usual, the postgame show will be shorter, because WPLG doesn’t want to make a habit of delaying its late newscast.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
Hilton proposes to reform the California Environmental Quality Act so that only government prosecutors can sue, preventing private individuals and organizations from stopping or delaying new housing projects.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 12 June 2026
From stunting and weakening plant growth to delaying flower production, these 1/10th-inch-long pests can wreak havoc.
—Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
The Vance family makes things work by delaying future costs, such as buying a larger home.
—Andrea Steffes-Tuttle, Denver Post, 12 June 2026
While delaying care may seem like a practical way to manage vet costs in the short term, putting off treatment can sometimes create larger financial and medical challenges in the future.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 11 June 2026
According to the letter, Paramasivam was denied permission to leave early and forced to finish her shift, delaying treatment that might have saved her life.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
Many of them had just come home from the war and were reunited with honeys who had been waiting, hoping, delaying.
—Joe Klein, Washington Post, 11 June 2026
If the game runs longer than usual, the postgame show will be shorter, because WPLG doesn’t want to make a habit of delaying its late newscast.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
Hilton proposes to reform the California Environmental Quality Act so that only government prosecutors can sue, preventing private individuals and organizations from stopping or delaying new housing projects.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delaying
Verb
-
The one question lingering after the Garrett trade was whether or not his addition would lure Rams great Aaron Donald, 35, out of retirement for one last ride.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
-
Psychologists have long been interested in why some slights refuse to fade, and how those lingering injuries can settle in — reshaping a person’s thoughts, mood and sense of self over time.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
There's a real difference between postponing a non-urgent procedure your vet says can wait and ignoring symptoms that signal something serious.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
Indeed, this approach preserved peace in the short term by postponing difficult conversations.—
David H. Rosmarin,
Time,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Tech had a rough Tuesday, dragging the S&P and Nasdaq lower.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Part of Cantoni’s job is to collect ticks from around the state through a process called dragging.—
Allison Gollenberg,
Hartford Courant,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
United Airlines would not provide comment when NBC News reached out, deferring instead to law enforcement.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
7 June 2026
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This could include, for instance, decisions slowing down, teams deferring instead of owning and outcomes becoming harder to replicate without leadership's direct involvement.—
Kevin O'Neill,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Pulisic, the American star who is under intense pressure to perform in this tournament, set up the goal, pushing the ball between a pair of defenders before poking it on for McKennie in the center of the box.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
-
As the miles dragged on, a chase vehicle crept by periodically with cameras poking out the window to capture scenes that could later be shared on social media, where Emanuel now has an almost daily presence.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Wrigley Field West, aka Coors Field, was crawling with Cubs fans on Tuesday night.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
-
He was found on Thursday morning, crawling towards Base Camp, and airlifted to Kathmandu, where doctors are treating him for frostbite, severe dehydration and a fractured thigh bone.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Delaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delaying. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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