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

This matches the natural speed of the fluctuations themselves, rather than lagging seconds or minutes behind as older methods did.

From Science Daily

Job openings can be volatile, and the data are lagging, especially in this measure.

From Barron's

A new version of Helm’s Bakery opened inside the Helms Design District in November 2024 but closed in December due to lagging sales.

From Los Angeles Times

Counting Wednesday’s gains, shares have fallen less than a percentage point in 2026, lagging behind a 0.1% increase for the S&P 500.

From Barron's

The iPhone maker is still lagging behind in terms of the AI it offers, and customers and investors alike need to see updates that excite them.

From Barron's

Related Words

• underdeveloped