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

Appeared in the January 8, 2026, print edition as 'DuPont Restructuring Yields Lagging Returns'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

Lagging wage growth could weigh on job mobility.

From Barron's • Dec. 19, 2025

Lagging in the polls in July, he was denied a spot on the debate stage with Trump and President Biden.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2024

Lagging its peers for many months, the ECB will also start raising rates this month, initially by 25 basis points, but Friday's data strengthens the case for a bigger, 50 basis point move in September.

From Reuters • Jul. 1, 2022

Lagging he moved, and apt to swerve; Lazy of limb, but quick of nerve.

From Poems by Rossetti, Christina Georgina

Related Words

• underdeveloped