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
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 delaying
And that could cause localized flash flooding, delaying both ground and air travel.
—
Holly Yan, CNN Money, 22 May 2026
That works only if the athletes see the value in delaying their own gratification for the greater good.
—Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
The savings would come from limiting midyear budget requests and delaying some capital projects.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
Claiming early—at 62—to generate income to service debt might seem logical but typically costs significantly more over the long run than delaying to 70 and paying down debt from other sources in the interim.
—Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
After nearly two years of study, the board voted the plan down last November, delaying its implementation, which was planned for the 2026-27 school year.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Prosecutors do not oppose delaying the trial, according to the motion.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 20 May 2026
Commissioners Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez voted against delaying the vote.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
Electric propulsion also enables Blitz to have a low acoustic as well as infra-red signature, delaying detection.
—Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
Holly Yan, CNN Money, 22 May 2026
That works only if the athletes see the value in delaying their own gratification for the greater good.
—Jemele Hill, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
The savings would come from limiting midyear budget requests and delaying some capital projects.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
Claiming early—at 62—to generate income to service debt might seem logical but typically costs significantly more over the long run than delaying to 70 and paying down debt from other sources in the interim.
—Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
After nearly two years of study, the board voted the plan down last November, delaying its implementation, which was planned for the 2026-27 school year.
—Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Prosecutors do not oppose delaying the trial, according to the motion.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 20 May 2026
Commissioners Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez voted against delaying the vote.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
Electric propulsion also enables Blitz to have a low acoustic as well as infra-red signature, delaying detection.
—Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delaying
Verb
-
Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Democratic nomination for governor on Tuesday, stunning the field by avoiding the runoff her rivals had hoped would expose lingering doubts about her ability to win in November.—
Greg Bluestein,
AJC.com,
20 May 2026
-
School closings Several buildings in the Utica Community Schools district, based in Sterling Heights, are closed on Tuesday, May 19, because of lingering power outages.—
Julia Avant,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
This year, the festival continued but took a blow, with officials postponing the Strawberry Stomp 5K and parade, which usually showcases community spirit and guest celebrities.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
24 May 2026
-
Despite the overwhelming sense of sadness at the track, NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell never considered postponing the race.—
Steve Reed,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
Verb
-
The uncanny vision is made even eerier when Hoop spots her late mother dragging her five children through the human tide.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
19 May 2026
-
The complaint states that Sorsby only has until June 22 to make a decision regarding the NFL Supplemental Draft, and the NCAA is dragging its feet in this process.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
But developing what is in place and deferring the pick to another draft could set up a better future.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
13 May 2026
-
During the operation, doctors said families were canceling appointments and deferring critical healthcare because of the fear of immigration enforcement.—
Beret Leone,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
In partnership with Underdog, a popular daily fantasy sports (DFS) and pick'em betting platform, Brooks revealed a one-of-a-kind board game poking fun at SGA.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
-
Plenty of skilled directors can manipulate tension and fear while still poking us toward nervous laughter.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Amazon won a court order to block the AI-agents from crawling its sites in March.—
Michelle Castillo,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
-
Sacramento County health inspectors closed four restaurants this week, including Carmichael’s Royal Cuisine, where a live nymph cockroach was found crawling on the salt and pepper shakers.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Delaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delaying. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
