lagging

¹ American  

[lag-ing] / ˈlæg ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of falling or staying behind.

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adjective

1. lingering; loitering; slow and dragging.

   lagging steps.

lagging ² American  

[lag-ing] / ˈlæg ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of covering a boiler, oil tank, etc., with heat-insulating material.

2. the covering formed.

3. the material used.

4. a number of boards or the like joined together side by side to line an excavation.

5. Masonry. a number of lags, taken as a whole.

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lagging British  

/ ˈlæɡɪŋ /

noun

1. insulating material wrapped around pipes, boilers, etc, or laid in a roof loft, to prevent loss of heat

2. the act or process of applying lagging

3. a wooden frame used to support an arch during construction

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Other Word Forms

• laggingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of lagging¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; lag ¹ + -ing ¹, -ing ² ( def. )

Origin of lagging²

First recorded in 1850–55; lag ³ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Despite its ambitions, Amazon is lagging well behind its own timeline.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

The stock market dip came after the company announced weak holiday-season sales, with Barbie products lagging.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

She argued that the UK is lagging behind other nations when it comes to offering consular services, pointing to France as an example of what can be achieved with better diplomatic pressure.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Fink highlighted energy affordability, noting surging demand from AI data centers and the U.S. lagging behind China in solar power.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

“My father thinks the Congo is just lagging behind and he can help bring it up to snuff. Which is crazy. It’s like he’s trying to put rubber tires on a horse.”

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

Related Words

• underdeveloped