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

Explanation

Hey pokey! Yeah you, Mr. Slow Pants. Quit your dawdling! This is no time to be a laggard, or someone who's always lagging behind. So who was the bigger laggard — the tortoise or the hare? Well that turtle sure was slow moving, but at least he continued at a steady pace. The hare was speedy, but took more time than necessary, goofing around and falling behind. It's a tough call, and one that the literary community has totally been dragging their feet on. What a bunch of laggards!

Example Sentences

For decades, Canada was seen as a global laggard in defence funding, and just two years ago, recruitment was so dire that a former defence minister warned the armed forces were in a "death spiral".

From BBC • May 9, 2026

The professional and business services category was a laggard, shedding 8,000 jobs.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

Of the big three, only Norwegian—historically the laggard of the group—noted any potential impact to consumer demand.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

MiniMed, a diabetes management company that is a carve-out of medical equipment giant Medtronic, is the one notable IPO laggard this month.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

By the late innings of the game the rest of the room—a few laggard coals glowed orange beneath the fireplace grate—lay sleeping in soft, quiescent shadows.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson