Synonyms of delays

delays 1 of 2

noun

plural of delay

as in waits

an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business

there was a delay for our boarding while the airplane unloaded incoming passengers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• waits
• holdups
• postponements
• pauses
• setbacks
• detentions
• deferrals
• hesitations
• lags
• holding patterns
• holdbacks
• deferments
• slowdowns
• respites
• detainments
• reprieves
• foot-draggings

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rushes
• dispatches
• hastes
• promptitudes

delays

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of delay

1

as in lingers

to move or act slowly

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lingers
• drags
• crawls
• pokes
• lags
• dawdles
• strolls
• marks time
• creeps
• falls behind
• hangs fire
• drops behind
• plays
• shuffles
• loiters
• stalls
• tarries
• lollygags
• mopes
• diddles
• dillydallies
• dallies
• takes one's time
• lounges
• staggers
• shilly-shallies
• drags one's feet
• fools around
• idles
• fiddles (around)
• messes around
• hangs (around or out)
• inches
• potters (around)
• slows (down or up)
• trifles
• putters (around)
• eases
• loafs
• monkeys (around)
• decelerates
• procrastinates
• ambles
• saunters
• temporizes
• plods
• lolls
• lumbers
• filibusters

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tears
• speeds
• courses
• races
• barrels
• hastens
• careers
• hurries
• rushes
• runs
• flies
• rips
• whizzes
• dashes
• whirls
• zips
• hurtles
• rockets
• scurries
• bolts
• whisks
• scrambles
• scoots
• humps
• stampedes
• hustles
• breezes
• darts
• scuds
• bowls
• runs
• accelerates
• sprints
• jogs
• speeds (up)
• hotfoots (it)
• gallops
• trots
• quickens
• overtakes
• outstrips
• outpaces
• outruns
• catches up
• fast-forwards

2

as in postpones

to assign to a later time

our guests delayed their departure until after dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

• postpones
• defers
• waits
• shelves
• holds over
• remits
• pauses
• lays over
• slows
• holds off (on)
• suspends
• hesitates
• puts over
• retards
• puts off
• holds up
• prolongs
• lengthens
• stays
• stretches (out)
• detains
• protracts
• extends

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• does
• acts
• works (on)
• deals (with)
• decides (upon)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of delays

Noun

Thunderstorms caused flight delays at New York City area airports on Saturday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. — ABC News, 19 July 2026

The downpours contributed to flight delays and cancellations at LaGuardia, Kennedy and Newark airports on the eve of the World Cup final match in New Jersey on Sunday. — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

The model relies on requirements being defined earlier in the process and changes being approved more quickly, with the aim of reducing delays and ensuring vessels are ready for their missions upon delivery. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 July 2026

Unexpected research problems are those caused by an unexpected change in faculty advisor, need to refine an investigatory topic based on initial research, research funding delays, and similar issues. — Stuart Anderson, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Prior to the breakthrough, delays of this kind would force changes to be made for commercial flights. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 17 July 2026

During an evacuation, passengers are encouraged to keep their phones away, as stopping to record or take photos could cause further delays and distract passengers from important instructions. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026

Vail Clark recommends borrowers start checking their options as soon as possible because processing delays are likely. — Adriana Morga, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026

The ground stop was lifted after less than an hour, but delays continued to mount. — Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 10 July 2026

Verb

As such, Propco must reapply for permits before resuming construction, which delays the project’s completion until the middle of 2027, according to the documents. — Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2026

The deal also delays the elimination of dental help for undocumented adults a year later than Newsom proposed. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 27 June 2026

Extending careers delays workforce loss but does not address long-term demographic trends or the inevitability of workforce transition. — Sk Gupta, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026

The deal delays highly technical discussions over the mechanics of unwinding Iran’s nuclear program. — Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026

Lowe said that the government’s statutory inquiry risks becoming another long process that delays accountability, comparing it to other British scandals where official reckoning came only years later. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026

In the face of such uncertainty, this treaty – applying the precautionary approach – delays the start of commercial fishing until governments have adequate information to manage fishing sustainably. — David Balton, The Conversation, 15 June 2026

Likewise, if a player deliberately delays a throw-in, the opposing team could be given the throw-in instead. — Russell Lewis, NPR, 12 June 2026

This can make conversations feel heavier, delays more frustrating and feedback harder to digest. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026