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
And while research shows that exercise supports healthy sleep by regulating body temperature, mood, metabolism and circadian rhythm, Weiner cautions that exercising too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep by delaying sleep onset, shortening sleep duration and lowering overall sleep quality.
—
Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 19 June 2026
The remaining providers are stretched thin, and patients are traveling farther for care — often delaying prenatal visits or arriving in labor without adequate support.
—Jocelyn Mitchell-Williams, STAT, 19 June 2026
But Bennet says a USCIS backlog is delaying the renewal of deferred status for many recipients.
—Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 19 June 2026
It was approved last year, but cost estimates came back too high, delaying the project.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 18 June 2026
The White House said Thursday night that Vice President JD Vance was delaying a trip to Switzerland to lead a new round of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program — raising questions about what's next for the tentative agreement to end the war.
—ABC News, 18 June 2026
In several tweets shared to X on Monday, June 15, the 44-year-old former professional soccer player called out the company for allegedly delaying a flight and not resolving the issue in a satisfactory manner.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
Although Klutznick planned to become the village’s first resident, his wife Ethel was giving birth to a son, in Chicago, thus delaying his arrival.
—Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
Aphids damage plants by stunting growth, delaying flowers, and attracting ants that protect them.
—Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 19 June 2026
The remaining providers are stretched thin, and patients are traveling farther for care — often delaying prenatal visits or arriving in labor without adequate support.
—Jocelyn Mitchell-Williams, STAT, 19 June 2026
But Bennet says a USCIS backlog is delaying the renewal of deferred status for many recipients.
—Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 19 June 2026
It was approved last year, but cost estimates came back too high, delaying the project.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 18 June 2026
The White House said Thursday night that Vice President JD Vance was delaying a trip to Switzerland to lead a new round of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program — raising questions about what's next for the tentative agreement to end the war.
—ABC News, 18 June 2026
In several tweets shared to X on Monday, June 15, the 44-year-old former professional soccer player called out the company for allegedly delaying a flight and not resolving the issue in a satisfactory manner.
—Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
Although Klutznick planned to become the village’s first resident, his wife Ethel was giving birth to a son, in Chicago, thus delaying his arrival.
—Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
Aphids damage plants by stunting growth, delaying flowers, and attracting ants that protect them.
—Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delaying
Verb
-
Inventories are unlikely to fully rebuild given the scale of draws in the first half-year and ongoing government stockpiling, the bank said, while lingering geopolitical risk premium would keep a floor under prices.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
16 June 2026
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Southern Living also noted that local tourism officials are encouraging visitors to return to the region, as many businesses remain open and rely on tourism dollars despite lingering perceptions that the area is still closed following Hurricane Helene.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
16 June 2026
Verb
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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
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Mbappé has already been a hero for his country, winning the World Cup in 2018 and scoring a hat-trick in the 2022 final while almost dragging his team to an unlikely defense of the title.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
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Avoid activities that could create a spark, including campfires, outdoor burning and dragging trailer chains.—
Joe Ruch,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Verb
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The county’s cost-saving measures include eliminating vacant positions, cutting programs, deferring maintenance projects, increasing revenue and implementing layoffs.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
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United Airlines would not provide comment when NBC News reached out, deferring instead to law enforcement.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
7 June 2026
Verb
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The post included a picture of a baby’s feet poking out from a blanket.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
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In Labour circles, there is an old joke poking fun at Burnham’s chameleon-like ability to blend into whichever set of ideas is in vogue on the left at that moment in time.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
Verb
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For cybersecurity companies, identifying a digital agent crawling a website used to be enough evidence of malicious activity.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
17 June 2026
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The challenge, of course, is that cleaning baseboards often involves crawling around on hands and knees, a task few people are eager to do.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Delaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delaying. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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