behind in
Idioms-
Also, behind on . Late with; not progressing quickly enough with. For example, The builders are behind on this project , or I can't take time out or I'll be too far behind in my work . The same idea is also expressed as behind time , where time means a schedule or appointed time, as in The bus should have been here; it's behind time . [Early 1300s] Also see fall behind .
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In arrears, owing more than one should. For example, Jane and Bob are behind in their payments, so the interest will mount up . [Late 1300s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
During Huang's European tour, Nvidia pledged nearly $10 billion in investments in the continent's tech sector and urged Europe, which is lagging behind in the AI race, to move faster.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
And the only thing that separates his experience from the tens of thousands of desperate people he left behind in the camp is the fact someone believed in him enough to give him a chance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
The Internationals were behind in every match at one stage but will go into Sunday's singles holding a 10-5-7.5 lead.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Cats rely heavily on scent to learn about one another, often gathering information from urine and other odor marks left behind in their surroundings.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
“I mean, tolerance is important, but we’ve been doing it for almost two weeks. We’re way behind in planning the Halloween dance.”
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
