delay

[dih-ley]

verb (used with object)

1. to put off to a later time; defer; postpone.

   The pilot delayed the flight until the weather cleared.

2. to impede the process or progress of; retard; hinder.

   The dense fog delayed the plane's landing.

   Synonyms: detain, slow

verb (used without object)

1. to put off action; linger; dally.

   He delayed until it was too late.

   Synonyms: tarry, procrastinate

noun

1. the act of delaying; procrastination.

   Synonyms: loitering

2. an instance of being delayed.

   There were many delays during the train trip.

   Synonyms: respite, deferment

3. the period or amount of time during which something is delayed.

   The ballet performance began after a half-hour delay.

delay

/ dɪˈleɪ /

verb

1. (tr) to put off to a later time; defer

2. (tr) to slow up, hinder, or cause to be late; detain

3. (intr) to be irresolute or put off doing something; procrastinate

4. (intr) to linger; dawdle

noun

1. the act or an instance of delaying or being delayed

2. the interval between one event and another; lull; interlude

Other Word Forms

• delayer noun
• delayable adjective
• delayingly adverb
• predelay noun
• undelayable adjective
• undelaying adjective
• undelayingly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of delay¹

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English delaien (verb), delai(e) (noun), from Old French delaier (verb), delai (noun)

Word History and Origins

Origin of delay¹

C13: from Old French delaier, from des- off + laier, variant of laissier to leave, from Latin laxāre to loosen, from laxus slack, _lax

Synonym Study

See defer ¹.

Example Sentences

At the same time, the White House delayed the tariffs for three years with Pfizer and British group AstraZeneca after both agreed to invest in US manufacturing capacity.

Read more on Barron's

Shares in Airbus earlier fell more than 10 percent on Monday in Paris following media reports that quality problems with fuselage panels had delayed delivery of some of its top-selling A320 aircraft.

Read more on Barron's

Around a third of flights into and out of New York’s JFK airport were delayed.

Read more on Barron's

Airbus customers have also been left frustrated by delivery delays and a large-scale metal contamination problem on engines manufactured for the latest generation A320neo family.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A High Court injunction was granted at the end of May to stop striking bin workers from delaying bin lorries leaving depots in Birmingham.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• adjourn 
• bar 
• block 
• defer 
• detain 
• hamper 
• hold 
• impede 
• keep 
• obstruct 
• postpone 
• prevent 
• prolong 
• put off 
• restrict 
• shelve 
• stall 
• stay 
• suspend 
• withhold 

When To Use

What does delay mean?

As a verb, delay means to put something off or postpone it until later, or to cause something to take longer or to be late.As a noun, delay means an instance of something being postponed till later, or the amount of time between when something was supposed to happen and when it does happen (the lull or interlude).Example: The convention has not been canceled—it has been delayed until we can find a proper venue.