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

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

From MarketWatch • Feb. 18, 2026

It’s an unexpected reversal of fortunes for the iPhone maker, whose stock has otherwise underperformed over the past year due to its reputation for being an artificial-intelligence laggard.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 5, 2026

Bricks-and-mortar retail, long viewed as a laggard in China’s tech story, is also becoming an AI beneficiary.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

Yet, even in these lower-power-distance cultures, we expect that the fear of appearing to be a laggard or being displaced by automation will lead to performative or secretive adoption, especially in ultracompetitive environments.

From Barron's • Dec. 30, 2025

Earl Percy and his laggard brigade were gone.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes