as in wait
an instance or period of being prevented from going about one's business
there was a delay for our boarding while the airplane unloaded incoming passengers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to linger
to move or act slowly
she ordered the kids to stop delaying and to get to bed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to postpone
to assign to a later time
our guests delayed their departure until after dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of delay
Ali Hoss, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Denver's plan to acquire the Park Hill Golf Course through a land swap with the land owner faces delays, though Mayor Mike Johnston isn't specifying why.
—Axios Denver, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025
Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 14 Mar. 2025
Tip-off for the Huskies’ matchup with No. 6 seed Villanova was delayed almost an hour, and UConn’s 22-5 scoring run to close the 73-56 win didn’t come until after midnight.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delay
Noun
Developers, particularly in the condominium sector, face increasing uncertainty and diminishing profitability, causing hesitation and delay.
—Ali Hoss, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Denver's plan to acquire the Park Hill Golf Course through a land swap with the land owner faces delays, though Mayor Mike Johnston isn't specifying why.
—Axios Denver, Axios, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
The hiring process, however, has been delayed, which may lead to operation disruptions.
—Anjeanette Damon, ProPublica, 14 Mar. 2025
Tip-off for the Huskies’ matchup with No. 6 seed Villanova was delayed almost an hour, and UConn’s 22-5 scoring run to close the 73-56 win didn’t come until after midnight.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for delay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delay
Noun
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Even Millie Bobby Brown, in a joke interview with her 2024 self, mentioned the long wait.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2025
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That goal looked to be within touching distance as six birdies saw Walker arrive at the 17th tee on Friday at four-under par for the second round, only for two closing bogeys to bring on an anxious wait to see if one-under par overall would be enough to squeeze through.—
Jack Bantock,
CNN,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Since dry goods can linger in kitchens long after a recall is announced, consumer awareness is even more key to avoiding potential health risks.—
Stephanie Gravalese,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
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While there are still many questions lingering about how California will bring its workforce back to primarily in-person work in the coming months, the impact on state workers’ telework stipend is clearly defined.—
William Melhado,
Sacramento Bee,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Billy Joel postpones his tour due to an undisclosed medical condition: ‘My health must come first.’ At Southwest Airlines, bags will no longer fly free. Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times.—
Ryan Fonseca,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2025
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Billy Joel is postponing his tour for four months after surgery over an unspecified medical condition, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame artist announced Tuesday morning.—
Ethan Millman,
The Hollywood Reporter,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The Steelers have shown little urgency, both before free agency and now as the Rodgers saga drags on, to sign Wilson.—
Mike DeFabo,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
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JPMorgan analysts expect Tesla’s woes to continue, predicting the company’s weakest quarter for car deliveries since 2022 as Elon Musk’s divisive role in the Trump Administration drags on the EV maker’s performance.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This, even after Trump opted to defer his initial 25-percent duties on Canadian products until early April.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
12 Mar. 2025
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Over 100 employees at the Office of Federal Student Aid accepted buyouts in February as part of a Trump administration deferred resignation program, draining the department of experienced staff when borrowers need help the most.—
Shahar Ziv,
Forbes,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In 1504, Christopher Columbus, on his fourth trans-Atlantic voyage, was stranded on the shores of Jamaica, with his ships crawling with marine worms and his crew hungry.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
10 Mar. 2025
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If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacramento Bee,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The eye poke left Muhammad unable to continue, and the fight was ruled a no contest.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
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This occurs as bright points of light appear when sunlight pokes through valleys and mountain ridges on the moon, just before or after the period of totality.—
Brett Tingley,
Space.com,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But the reality is, Apple Intelligence is lagging behind what Google is offering.—
Ben Sin,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
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More recently, iRobot has lagged behind its competitors, who are flaunting gizmos including arms that can pick up socks, carry air purifiers around, or even climb stairs.—
Brenda Stolyar,
WIRED,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Delay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delay. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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