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

Investors have been betting that small caps can finally catch up after years of lagging behind megacap technology stocks, helped by improving earnings, cheaper valuations and broader interest in artificial-intelligence-related infrastructure.

From MarketWatch • May 16, 2026

Momentum has begun to slow this year: Oklo is up 2.6% in 2026, lagging behind the benchmark index, which has risen 8.1%.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

The Lakers slugged their way through a defensive battle against the Houston Rockets in the first round, but their offense started lagging midway through the series.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

The basket has risen around 5.5% since mid-October, lagging behind the S&P 500’s roughly 8% gain.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

I kept playing, doing my best to let it pour out of me, though there were plenty of wonky and lagging notes.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• underdeveloped