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

Sacramento Regional Transit will adjust six bus routes beginning Sunday, including delaying departure times and eliminating one early-morning trip from Florin. — Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026

The discovery prevented the plane from being moved on schedule, delaying a flight and forcing JetBlue to use a different aircraft instead, according to the affidavit, an interruption estimated to cost the airline over $2,400. — Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026

The final rules could face legal scrutiny, further delaying their implementation. — ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026

Some refineries are delaying maintenance to take advantage of these elevated margins, De Haan said. — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026

Yet Murrill opposed all three, delaying their compensation for nearly two years. — Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 6 Aug. 2026

The person, whose name was not released, was arrested on suspicion of unlawfully causing a fire resulting in injury to fires, obstructing or delaying a police investigation and willfully resisting, obstructing or delaying a fire investigation. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

At the same time, borrowers are reporting increasing problems and errors that are delaying or derailing their ability to maintain access to affordable repayment plan programs and student loan forgiveness. — Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Senators could decide by the close of business on Friday whether to schedule a vote as early as next Tuesday, or else risk delaying Blanche’s nomination till after the August recess. — Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 31 July 2026