laggard

American  

[lag-erd] / ˈlæg ərd /

noun

1. a person or thing that lags; lingerer; loiterer.

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adjective

1. moving, developing, or responding slowly; sluggish; dilatory; backward.

laggard British  

/ ˈlæɡəd /

noun

1. a person who lags behind

2. a dawdler or straggler

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adjective

1. rare sluggish, slow, or dawdling

Other Word Forms

• laggardly adverb
• laggardness noun

Etymology

Origin of laggard

First recorded in 1695–1705; lag ¹ + -ard

Example Sentences

While the company is making inroads in other fields like oncology, Gilead’s cell therapy portfolio is a notable laggard.

From Barron's

While Amazon’s stock has been a “frustrating laggard” for the last year, its underperformance extends over many years, Thill wrote.

From MarketWatch

Such neutrality helps prevent the ETF from being a laggard if market moves are based solely on a specific sector or country.

From Barron's

Microsoft’s stock has been a major laggard in recent months, and now a board member just bought the dip.

From MarketWatch

The big winners from 2025 have become this year’s laggards, and vice versa.

From MarketWatch