as in slow
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the lagging pace of work on the project was worrisome
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in fading
to lose bodily strength or vigor
during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lagging
Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
The United States typically experiences the lagging edge of Latin American displacement waves.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
So while America is most likely still a highly desirable place for all kinds of investors, from the average person putting money into a 401(k) to a professional trader, the lagging performance this year is more than your typical year.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025
Layer on infrastructure costs, amortization, new storage mandates, refinery retrofits for changing crude blends and the lagging effects of the LCFS credit.
—Michael Mische, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
Metrics That Predict, Not Report The lagging nature of HR’s metrics compounds the problem.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Reporting is inconsistent and lagging.
—Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
Michael Khouw, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
North Carolina currently ranks 50th in the nation in per-student spending and ranked 43rd for teacher pay in 2025, lagging behind neighboring states like South Carolina and Virginia, according to the National Education Association.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
Condos and townhome prices, which have been lagging for the past two years, had an even stronger rebound.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
Governments and civil society are already lagging.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026
The disruption comes as Chancellor Friedrich Merz's governing coalition mulls far-reaching reforms to overcome Germany's deeper problems — such as high production costs, lagging private investment and increasingly costly health and pension systems — and boost long-term growth.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Facing lagging staff numbers but a rapidly changing nuclear energy landscape, many facilities have to turned to third-party contractors in order to keep up.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 1 Apr. 2026
By both metrics, the airport’s passenger trends are lagging behind not just the biggest California airports like San Francisco and Los Angeles, but also those of comparable size, such as San Jose, and even smaller spots like Burbank, Ontario and Long Beach.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
The stock market dip came after the company announced weak holiday season sales, with Barbie products lagging.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The lagging percentage of women film directors last year is a clear sign that the industry is going backward, said Kirsten Schaffer, chief executive of WIF, which advocates for women in Hollywood.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
The United States typically experiences the lagging edge of Latin American displacement waves.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
So while America is most likely still a highly desirable place for all kinds of investors, from the average person putting money into a 401(k) to a professional trader, the lagging performance this year is more than your typical year.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025
Layer on infrastructure costs, amortization, new storage mandates, refinery retrofits for changing crude blends and the lagging effects of the LCFS credit.
—Michael Mische, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
Metrics That Predict, Not Report The lagging nature of HR’s metrics compounds the problem.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Reporting is inconsistent and lagging.
—Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
Verb
Here, Regeneron is lagging Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk .
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
North Carolina currently ranks 50th in the nation in per-student spending and ranked 43rd for teacher pay in 2025, lagging behind neighboring states like South Carolina and Virginia, according to the National Education Association.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026
Condos and townhome prices, which have been lagging for the past two years, had an even stronger rebound.
—Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 4 Apr. 2026
Governments and civil society are already lagging.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026
The disruption comes as Chancellor Friedrich Merz's governing coalition mulls far-reaching reforms to overcome Germany's deeper problems — such as high production costs, lagging private investment and increasingly costly health and pension systems — and boost long-term growth.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Facing lagging staff numbers but a rapidly changing nuclear energy landscape, many facilities have to turned to third-party contractors in order to keep up.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 1 Apr. 2026
By both metrics, the airport’s passenger trends are lagging behind not just the biggest California airports like San Francisco and Los Angeles, but also those of comparable size, such as San Jose, and even smaller spots like Burbank, Ontario and Long Beach.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
The stock market dip came after the company announced weak holiday season sales, with Barbie products lagging.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lagging
Adjective
-
Or maybe this was a slow roll, meant to culminate with the two All-Stars crescendoing into the playoff push.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Feed Forever Goldy® Arborvitae annually in early spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As in this moisturizing CeraVe cream, beta-hydroxy acid (BHA) is able to penetrate past superficial layers to turn skin into a smooth canvas while fading age spots and hyperpigmentation.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The letters are printed on the sides of the keys rather than the top, which prevents fading.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Emergency managers from several states say the funding backlog is having a ripple effect in communities, straining local budgets and delaying or potentially derailing disaster projects that have taken years to plan.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
-
At the time, ICE blamed weather conditions for delaying transfers.—
Dennis Valera,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Lounge remains a favorite for leisurely breakfasts and afternoon tea.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
-
If all goes according to plan, its protective heat shield and a sequence of massive parachutes will ensure that the capsule—and the four astronauts inside—will land with a gentle splash in the Pacific Ocean at a leisurely 17 miles per hour.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
However, the brand has seen month-on-month declines in sales since September 2025, pointing to weakening momentum in its core NEV lineup.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
-
However, some Democrats warn against weakening their candidates when facing a Republican Party that’s flush with cash.—
Leah Askarinam,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This pick swap between the Bulls and Trail Blazers is a final lingering mechanism from a 2021 three-team trade that sent Lauri Markkanen to the Cleveland Cavaliers.—
David Brandt,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
-
In an interview last month with CBS News, Kirby said the potential of lingering high fuel prices could be an opportunity for United to expand.—
Kris Van Cleave,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In the Stanford Invitational race video posted by Hedengren’s mother, the two runners embrace at the finish line, the 5-foot-2 Kosgei sagging off the towering BYU runner.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Noticeable sagging or damage The most obvious sign of a deteriorating mattress is sagging or lumps.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While some Lebanese people support Hezbollah, some also blame the group for dragging them into yet another war.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Community meetings about data centers nationwide are growing chaotic and contentious, with reports of police dragging residents outside and council members being threatened.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lagging. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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