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

In that unlikely scenario, the project with LINXS could be terminated and Los Angeles World Airports, which manages LAX, would have to find a new contractor, further delaying the train’s future. — Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Tampa politicians will likely celebrate by delaying a vote on the Rays’ proposed new stadium by another few months. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026

Even before this summer’s heat, the EU had begun loosening a number of its emissions targets and delaying the phaseout of gas and diesel vehicles, in an apparent effort to blunt the far right’s use of green policies as a campaign issue. — Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Aug. 2026

Among parents who reported skipping or delaying their children’s vaccines, 45% came from that malleable middle. — Katrine Wallace, STAT, 11 Aug. 2026

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 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

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