lags 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of lag
1
as in fades
to lose bodily strength or vigor during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag

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2
as in delays
to move or act slowly the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lags

2 of 2

noun

plural of lag
as in slowdowns

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lags
Verb
Its data center capacity also lags considerably behind the AI leaders. — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 16 July 2026 Rebuilding in the historic town lags because of an unworkable maze of regulations. — Jonathan Helton, Washington Post, 15 July 2026 The national tally lags behind what states are reporting as the agency must confirm each case. — Erika Edwards, NBC news, 14 July 2026 However, consumer sentiment lags, possibly due to higher inflation expectations and pandemic-era financial memories. — Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 That uniformity gives the US Navy one of the most consistently modern submarine forces in the world, even as its production tempo lags behind China’s. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 11 July 2026 The latest data, published July 9, still lags behind state reports as the agency works to confirm infections. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 10 July 2026 Coverage of vibration plates notes that scientific evidence often lags behind search interest, a pattern where enthusiasm outpaces published research. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026 That said, the case total so far is four times higher than at the same point last year, according to current CDC national data, which lags dramatically from what's being reported by the states. — ABC News, 8 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lags
  1. fades
  2. delays
  3. slowdowns
  4. weakens
  5. lingers
  6. pauses
  7. sags
  8. drags
Verb
  • Without someone to introduce the work, answer questions, or model what a career in the field looks like, the specialty fades into the background.
    — Gregory McDonald, STAT, 13 July 2026
  • Their heads are orange, stark against the dark blue hue of their torso, which fades to white, then orange and finally black down the length of their tails.
    — Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026
Definition of fades
Verb
  • Chief Estella Patterson told committee members officers have a hard time determining the exact age of juveniles without an ID, which delays the investigation and prolongs police interactions.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026
  • Baron is a credible villain who can give Trick and Melo someone to feud with, which delays their inevitable feud.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Definition of delays
Noun
  • Some theater owners, hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and production slowdowns, have expressed concerns the merger would lead to fewer films being made.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
  • There is so much uncertainty in the industry, with AI and mergers and production slowdowns and changing consumer habits.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026
Definition of slowdowns
Verb
  • That weakens the case for mediation as protection without producing a replacement, which is why Qatar will keep it rather than trade it.
    — Güney Yıldız, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
  • As the rest of the world buys its assets, the reserve currency is structurally overvalued and weakens competitiveness.
    — Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, Fortune, 17 July 2026
Definition of weakens
Verb
  • For a creamier take, DedCool’s XtraMilk Eau de Parfum is a 2024 Best of Beauty Award winner that layers bergamot over soft white musk and amber for a cozy skin-like scent that lingers close to the body.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 11 July 2026
  • The longer uncertainty lingers, the more risk there is for stocks at a moment when the market leaders, chipmakers, are wobbling.
    — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
Definition of lingers
Noun
  • Considering the outsize roll these pathogens play in driving severe respiratory illnesses, such as pneumonia, these pauses are alarming.
    — John Kubale, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
  • Packages flow directly from dock doors into scanning, identification and stacking—with no pauses, no handoffs and no redesigns.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 6 July 2026
Definition of pauses
Verb
  • Unfortunately, using too little paint will leave patchy areas and harsh lines, and using too much paint will promote drips and paint that sags.
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 6 July 2026
  • There is no scrapeable archive of how to grasp a wet cup, unload a box that sags in the middle, fold a towel, or help an older adult out of a chair.
    — Robert J. Szczerba, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Definition of sags
Verb
  • Raimundo Orsi, Italy vs Czechoslovakia, 1934 Orsi drags Italy level with nine minutes to go, controlling a bouncing ball and turning superbly in the box to fire past Czech goalkeeper and captain Frantisek Planicka.
    — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • Overall, the plan is on par with a request the White House submitted to Congress last month, as the Iran war drags past four months.
    — Kevin Freking, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Definition of drags

Browse Nearby Words

lagoons
lags
laical
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Cite this Entry

“Lags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lags. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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