tardiness

noun

tar·​di·​ness ˈtär-dē-nəs How to pronounce tardiness (audio)
: the quality or state of being tardy or late
Students might be sent to Saturday school for any of various infractions, such as tardiness, truancy, smoking, failure to deliver class-work, or creating a disturbance.Anne H. Soukhanov
What you really need is a story that will not only excuse tardiness but encourage your boss to give you the entire day off.Jeff Foxworthy
His habitual tardiness got him fired from job after job, yet he couldn't see the consequences of his actions.June Kinoshita

Examples of tardiness in a Sentence

habitual tardiness will be recorded in your personnel file
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Bosses are also noticing more tangible issues: frequent tardiness, inappropriate workplace attire, and a lack of understanding about office culture. Soulaima Gourani, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 Keep a record of absences and tardiness, including reasons provided by the employees. Johnny C. Taylor Jr., USA TODAY, 15 Oct. 2024 Hill has continued to draw fan complaints for her chronic tardiness. Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 1 Oct. 2024 In her acceptance speech, Campbell seemingly addressed Wintour's tardiness remark. Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for tardiness 

Word History

First Known Use

1608, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tardiness was in 1608

Dictionary Entries Near tardiness

Cite this Entry

“Tardiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tardiness. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on tardiness

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!