delay
the act of delaying; procrastination.
an instance of being delayed: There were many delays during the train trip.
the period or amount of time during which something is delayed: The ballet performance began after a half-hour delay.
Origin of delay
1synonym study For delay
Other words for delay
2 | slow, detain |
3 | procrastinate, tarry |
4 | tarrying, dawdling, loitering |
5 | deferment, postponement, respite |
Other words from delay
- de·lay·a·ble, adjective
- de·lay·er, noun
- de·lay·ing·ly, adverb
- pre·de·lay, noun, verb
- un·de·lay·a·ble, adjective
- un·de·lay·ing, adjective
- un·de·lay·ing·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use delay in a sentence
But the F-35 has been plagued with massive delays and cost overruns—mostly due to design defects and software issues.
New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019 | Dave Majumdar | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTYes, some people have been inconvenienced by traffic delays or annoyed by supportive athletes.
What Would Happen if I Got in White Cop’s Face? | Goldie Taylor | December 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAfter years of delays the costs have gone beyond a billion dollars.
Virgin Galactic’s Flight Path to Disaster: A Clash of High Risk and Hyperbole | Clive Irving | November 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn the era of Tea Party stunts and dramatic fan-based delays, the debate was moderately fussy.
What Al Franken’s Normcore Senate Race Can Teach Other Democrats | Ana Marie Cox | October 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA place where unexplained delays are a matter of course, and where public fingernail clipping is considered only a minor sin.
Leaky Ceilings, Catcalls, and Uncaged Pythons: 4 Hours on NYC’s Worst Subway | Kevin Zawacki | August 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Not many complaints are made now, for delays and disappointments are things of the past.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland | Joseph TatlowAfter long delays Crane and Keith made pretense of building camps and starting to log.
Scattergood Baines | Clarence Budington KellandUsually the trial comes off within a few months, but not infrequently long delays occur.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman | Albert Sidney BollesAfter some public delays which have tryed my patience, I at length resolved to wait no longer for the Budget.
Private Letters of Edward Gibbon (1753-1794) Volume 1 (of 2) | Edward GibbonAll delays are at an end—Tuesday—to-morrow the final warrant will be signed; Friday next, you may salute the Royal paw.
Private Letters of Edward Gibbon (1753-1794) Volume 1 (of 2) | Edward Gibbon
British Dictionary definitions for delay
/ (dɪˈleɪ) /
(tr) to put off to a later time; defer
(tr) to slow up, hinder, or cause to be late; detain
(intr) to be irresolute or put off doing something; procrastinate
(intr) to linger; dawdle
the act or an instance of delaying or being delayed
the interval between one event and another; lull; interlude
Origin of delay
1Derived forms of delay
- delayer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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