dilatory

American  

[dil-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / ˈdɪl əˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

adjective

1. tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy.

2. intended to cause delay, gain time, or defer decision.

   a dilatory strategy.

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dilatory British  

/ -trɪ, ˈdɪlətərɪ /

adjective

1. tending or inclined to delay or waste time

2. intended or designed to waste time or defer action

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Other Word Forms

• dilatorily adverb
• dilatoriness noun
• undilatorily adverb
• undilatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of dilatory

1250–1300; Middle English (< Anglo-French ) < Latin dīlātōrius, equivalent to dīlā-, suppletive stem of differre to postpone ( differ ) + -tōrius -tory ¹

Example Sentences

Attempts to clean up trillions of dollars in off-balance-sheet debts owed by local governments proceed at a dilatory pace.

From The Wall Street Journal

Public opinion has split between those who have taken the king to task for being dilatory and those who think he has played the situation correctly.

From The Wall Street Journal

There have always been those who found the place, with its pretentious airs, dilatory pacing and stultifying rules of order, a frustrating environment to work in, much less thrive.

From Los Angeles Times

In early February, after Harvard’s first round of submissions, Representative Foxx accused it of a “limited and dilatory” response.

From New York Times

When there is a claim, however frivolous and intentionally dilatory, it must receive the same slow service as every other claim at the courthouse window.

From Salon