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View synonyms for dilatory

dilatory

[ dil-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee ]

adjective

  1. tending to delay or procrastinate; slow; tardy.
  2. intended to cause delay, gain time, or defer decision:

    a dilatory strategy.



dilatory

/ -trɪ; ˈdɪlətərɪ /

adjective

  1. tending or inclined to delay or waste time
  2. intended or designed to waste time or defer action
“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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Derived Forms

  • ˈdilatoriness, noun
  • ˈdilatorily, adverb
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Other Words From

  • dila·tori·ly adverb
  • dila·tori·ness noun
  • un·dila·tori·ly adverb
  • un·dila·tory adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dilatory1

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

Origin of dilatory1

C15: from Late Latin dīlātōrius inclined to delay, from differre to postpone; see differ
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Example Sentences

Decision making is slow, acquisition processes are dilatory, and maintenance of the equipment bought is poor.

The tedious, dilatory time and money-wasting “come later on” procedure of times gone by no longer obtains.

But the policy of Austria was, at that time, strangely dilatory and irresolute.

The Greek Government, British retaliation which was all but bankrupt, was dilatory in settling these claims.

An early dinner was eaten, and the dishes washed with an alacrity in agreeable contrast to the dilatory methods of the morning.

He felt like explaining to them that he had not just arrived, and that he really was not so foolish or so dilatory as he looked.

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dilatorDilaudid