time lag
noun
variants
or less commonly time-lag
plural time lags also time-lags
: an interval of time between two related phenomena or events
… there is a time lag between the companies' statements and the data captured in the department's jobs report.—
Sarah Chaney Cambon
Sarah Chaney CambonGiven the usual time lags in book publishing and the rush of recent discoveries, the book is extraordinarily up to date …—James Cornell
James CornellThere is frequently a time-lag between word and thing. Thus atomic bomb was coined by H. G. Wells in 1914, though the first explosion took place at Alamogordo, New Mexico, in 1945.—Geoffrey Hughes
Geoffrey HughesExamples of time lag in a Sentence
There's a time lag between when you see a stop sign and when your foot steps on the brake.
Recent Examples on the Web
The results were averaged, but researchers also note that the findings may not be a precise reflection of what's currently on offer from the companies given the time lag.
—New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2025
The researchers from Fudan University’s State Key Laboratory of Integrated Chips and Systems and the College of Integrated Circuits and Micro-nano Electronics aimed to overcome this time lag by embedding 2D flash technology directly into CMOS platforms.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
That lapse is likely driven because of time lags between actual sales and assessments, Kaegi’s office said, an issue that gets worse when market values are increasing faster.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Some critics say the ratings are not very accurate because of a time lag between the data collection and the publication of the scores, and some say the ratings are unfair to hospitals that have low income populations that tend to be sicker than hospitals in wealthier areas.
—Stephanie Innes, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for time lag
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2025
The researchers from Fudan University’s State Key Laboratory of Integrated Chips and Systems and the College of Integrated Circuits and Micro-nano Electronics aimed to overcome this time lag by embedding 2D flash technology directly into CMOS platforms.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025
That lapse is likely driven because of time lags between actual sales and assessments, Kaegi’s office said, an issue that gets worse when market values are increasing faster.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Some critics say the ratings are not very accurate because of a time lag between the data collection and the publication of the scores, and some say the ratings are unfair to hospitals that have low income populations that tend to be sicker than hospitals in wealthier areas.
—Stephanie Innes, AZCentral.com, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for time lag
Cite this Entry
“Time lag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time%20lag. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share