Synonyms of delaying

delaying

verb

present participle of delay

1

as in lingering

to move or act slowly

she ordered the kids to stop delaying and to get to bed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lingering
• dragging
• poking
• crawling
• stalling
• creeping
• lagging
• strolling
• playing
• dawdling
• loitering
• shuffling
• tarrying
• falling behind
• diddling
• dropping behind
• hanging fire
• marking time
• lollygagging
• moping
• dillydallying
• dallying
• idling
• lounging
• staggering
• shilly-shallying
• taking one's time
• dragging one's feet
• trifling
• fiddling (around)
• loafing
• hanging (around or out)
• inching
• fooling around
• puttering (around)
• decelerating
• sauntering
• pottering (around)
• easing
• messing around
• ambling
• procrastinating
• monkeying (around)
• temporizing
• slowing (down or up)
• lolling
• filibustering
• plodding
• lumbering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hastening
• hurrying
• rushing
• tearing
• speeding
• running
• flying
• ripping
• racing
• scurrying
• bolting
• dashing
• whirling
• barreling
• zipping
• whizzing
• coursing
• whisking
• scrambling
• scooting
• rocketing
• careering
• scudding
• darting
• hustling
• hurtling
• running
• accelerating
• stampeding
• humping
• breezing
• bowling
• galloping
• sprinting
• trotting
• jogging
• quickening
• hotfooting (it)
• speeding (up)
• overtaking
• outstripping
• outrunning
• outpacing
• catching up
• fast-forwarding

2

as in postponing

to assign to a later time

our guests delayed their departure until after dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

• postponing
• deferring
• waiting
• shelving
• holding over
• remitting
• suspending
• putting off
• hesitating
• slowing
• holding off (on)
• putting over
• pausing
• prolonging
• laying over
• retarding
• lengthening
• holding up
• staying
• detaining
• stretching (out)
• extending
• protracting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• doing
• working (on)
• acting
• dealing (with)
• deciding (upon)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of delaying

Tariffs could also limit technology choices for Americans by delaying new product launches, including devices featuring the latest AI technologies. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026

In other words, retirees stand to benefit more from annual COLAs by delaying. — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026

The statute required judges to record whether the wife was pregnant, leading some to interpret the requirement as a factor in granting or delaying divorce proceedings. — Jack Harvel august 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026

Plan commission member Randy Niemeyer worried that delaying approval could hinder development in the area, including a John Deere distribution center. — Maya Wilkins, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026

The cost-cutting measures ended up delaying production, raising costs regardless. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026

The City of Indianapolis urged residents to not contact FEMA until official guidance is issued to avoid delaying assistance. — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2026

Lasting solutions have been trapped in politics, thereby delaying and undercutting an adequate response. — Samhita M Ilango, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026

That means delaying, syncing, buffering, and filtering signals – something electronics handles easily but photonics struggles with. — New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026