lagging indicator

American  

[lag-ing in-di-kayt-er] / ˈlæg ɪŋ ˈɪn dɪˌkeɪt ər /

noun

• lagging indicators
  plural

1. Economics. a statistical measure, usually an economic indicator, that has a delayed response to changes compared to the rest of a system.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lagging indicators
  plural

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lagging indicator

However, he finds that to be a lagging indicator and suggests investors instead focus on whether AI models are showing consistent improvements.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 14, 2026

Plus, excreta is a lagging indicator, so it’s doubly difficult to connect the dots.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2025

For technical reasons related to the way it treats housing, the consumer price index is a lagging indicator; other measures suggest that we’re already close to the Federal Reserve’s target inflation rate of 2%.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 23, 2024

To be sure, such data are a lagging indicator of enforcement activity and the agency has said the pandemic slowed some work.

From Reuters ● Oct. 30, 2023

One is that wages are likely to be a lagging indicator.

From Slate ● Feb. 3, 2023

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