as in slow
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the lagging pace of work on the project was worrisome
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in fading
to lose bodily strength or vigor
during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lagging
Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
The United States typically experiences the lagging edge of Latin American displacement waves.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
So while America is most likely still a highly desirable place for all kinds of investors, from the average person putting money into a 401(k) to a professional trader, the lagging performance this year is more than your typical year.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025
Layer on infrastructure costs, amortization, new storage mandates, refinery retrofits for changing crude blends and the lagging effects of the LCFS credit.
—Michael Mische, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
Metrics That Predict, Not Report The lagging nature of HR’s metrics compounds the problem.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Reporting is inconsistent and lagging.
—Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
The cruise industry has an opportunity to lead instead of lagging behind.
—Steve Adelstein, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
The 21st century’s obstacles for young men—as seen in deaths of despair and lagging employment—have been amply publicized both by credible journalists and by charlatans such as Fuentes.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Children who have developmental delays or whose behavioral readiness is lagging can still stand to benefit.
—Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Seeing the lagging progress of settlement talks between the diocese and the abuse victims, a federal bankruptcy judge allowed six of those cases to finally proceed to trial.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
That trend was consistent through much of the winter, with western snow-cover lagging far behind historical averages on most days, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
The current situation In this round of negotiations, federal leadership has been lagging.
—Karen Schlatter, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026
Track both leading metrics (usage, cycle time, speed to pilot) and lagging ones (value, cost reduction, satisfaction).
—Keith Ferrazzi, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The lagging percentage of women film directors last year is a clear sign that the industry is going backward, said Kirsten Schaffer, chief executive of WIF, which advocates for women in Hollywood.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
The United States typically experiences the lagging edge of Latin American displacement waves.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
So while America is most likely still a highly desirable place for all kinds of investors, from the average person putting money into a 401(k) to a professional trader, the lagging performance this year is more than your typical year.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025
Layer on infrastructure costs, amortization, new storage mandates, refinery retrofits for changing crude blends and the lagging effects of the LCFS credit.
—Michael Mische, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
Metrics That Predict, Not Report The lagging nature of HR’s metrics compounds the problem.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Reporting is inconsistent and lagging.
—Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
Verb
But the center has seen an exodus of artists following the name change, while ticket sales have been lagging, according to analyses in the Washington Post and the New York Times.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
The cruise industry has an opportunity to lead instead of lagging behind.
—Steve Adelstein, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
The 21st century’s obstacles for young men—as seen in deaths of despair and lagging employment—have been amply publicized both by credible journalists and by charlatans such as Fuentes.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Children who have developmental delays or whose behavioral readiness is lagging can still stand to benefit.
—Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026
Seeing the lagging progress of settlement talks between the diocese and the abuse victims, a federal bankruptcy judge allowed six of those cases to finally proceed to trial.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026
That trend was consistent through much of the winter, with western snow-cover lagging far behind historical averages on most days, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
The current situation In this round of negotiations, federal leadership has been lagging.
—Karen Schlatter, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026
Track both leading metrics (usage, cycle time, speed to pilot) and lagging ones (value, cost reduction, satisfaction).
—Keith Ferrazzi, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lagging
Adjective
-
Affecting the first two receptors means retatrutide may help suppress appetite and slow digestion, which can help users feel full after eating even smaller meals.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Long train rides and other slow travel between places offer exactly the meditative in-between space your nervous system is craving.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hamlin led 292 of the first 317 laps, but a caution for debris on the racetrack with 89 laps to go came out at the perfect time for Elliott, who was fading rapidly on older tires.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Blooper reels, once common in comedy films, are fading from cinema partly due to the rise of dramatic post-credit epilogues and the shift from DVDs to streaming platforms, experts say.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The chamber is set to leave Washington for a two-week recess at the end of this week, but Thune has not ruled out delaying the break if the shutdown is not resolved.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The driver was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and obstructing or delaying an officer, police said.—
Sydney Barragan,
Oc Register,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
So the coming months are a period for cocktails in bigger glasses, vessels that welcome more liquid for more leisurely sipping.—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Otherwise, consider the more posh neighborhoods of Chelsea and Kensington—ideal for leisurely days spent browsing boutiques and art galleries or strolling over to Notting Hill for coffee and craft bakeries.—
Katharine Sohn,
Architectural Digest,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Seniors are the most reliable midterm voters in the country, and with the 2026 elections approaching and affordability already their top concern, weakening this program is a risk Republicans should not be taking.—
Joe Hardy,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
-
However, rejecting the goal of citizenship verification altogether risks weakening public confidence in the system.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The primary suite is described as storage-rich and spa-like, with multiple closets and a bath built for lingering.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In our present moment, as the production and consumption of hot takes continues to accelerate, there is a powerful form of resistance to be found in lingering with the unfamiliar, in offering attention without the promise of a quick take-away.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
James Madison used a sagging zone defense in the paint or a double-team on Strack in an attempt to slow down the Wildcats, but that left Strack’s teammates open for easy shots.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Release, for contouring and pressure relief; and Adaptive, to keep the bed from sagging.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But right now, while the press is still bad and the lawsuits are still dragging, sellers should take a breath.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The SaaSpocalypse, ultimately, was a knee-jerk, existential reaction to where AI is (slowly, in many contexts) dragging the tech stack.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lagging. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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