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
Relevance
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
Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 24 July 2025
Higgins joined the majority in approving the item, which Rodriguez added to the agenda late enough that any commissioner could have requested a delay until the board’s next meeting.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 23 July 2025
Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025
Judges often delay unsealing documents until the appeals process is resolved to protect the defendant’s right to due process and ensure it’s not jeopardized by sensitive information in the filings, said Jeremy Eldridge, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor in Baltimore.
—Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for delay
Noun
And those assessments could cause delays that Trump may wish to avoid in pushing for widespread AI adoption across government.
—Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 24 July 2025
Higgins joined the majority in approving the item, which Rodriguez added to the agenda late enough that any commissioner could have requested a delay until the board’s next meeting.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 23 July 2025
Verb
However, rocket launches can often be delayed due to poor weather or issues with the spacecraft.
—Eric Lagatta, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025
Judges often delay unsealing documents until the appeals process is resolved to protect the defendant’s right to due process and ensure it’s not jeopardized by sensitive information in the filings, said Jeremy Eldridge, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor in Baltimore.
—Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for delay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delay
Noun
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Across the United States, the average wait time is 48 days between when a patient initially contacts a provider for mental healthcare and their first appointment.—
Amanda Marlar,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
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Vance's visit disrupted park operations as security measures increased, resulting in prolonged wait times and temporary ride closures for other guests, according to The Independent.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Do lingering questions about this biotechnology disqualify it?—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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Yet these employment cuts can have devastating consequences on workers and cause lingering damage to the labor market at large.—
Omeed Maghzian,
Harvard Business Review,
21 July 2025
Verb
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Residents should consider postponing or rescheduling outdoor activities, and follow the same precautionary steps, like, drinking plenty of water and taking breaks indoors or under shade.—
Sarah Moore,
Freep.com,
23 July 2025
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That includes Rosado’s tiebreaker vote in favor of postponing the upcoming November election to 2026 — a measure backed by the mayor — as well as Rosado’s vote to shutter the Bayfront Park Management Trust in January of next year.—
Tess Riski
July 21,
Miami Herald,
21 July 2025
Verb
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Charlie's sudden, grotesque exit becomes the catalyst for the rest of the film, dragging her family down a relentless tailspin of grief (and ancestral demons).—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
23 July 2025
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Pitmaster Roy Perez ceremoniously dragged a metal tub of hot coals up Commerce Street to transfer the fire from the old pits to the new ones.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Non-grantor trusts may also be used to defer or avoid state income tax.—
Martin Shenkman,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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For example, someone who falls behind on the bills because of job loss would no longer qualify to defer student loan payments, Bañez said.—
Anne Marie D. Lee,
CBS News,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Insects and other pests like rodents can easily crawl inside and make themselves at home.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
19 July 2025
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This remains a place where crabs crawl out of the water at sunset, stingrays swim around surfers in the Pacific, and languidly smiling sloths—the national mascot—remind us all to slow down.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
AFAR Media,
16 July 2025
Verb
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This review pokes a useful hole in the breathless reception this film received, while managing to feel fond.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
24 July 2025
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The dish is almost a tease, tickling and poking you by showcasing carrots such that here a confident argument is made to herald them in as the pre-eminent salad vegetable.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
23 July 2025
Verb
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Utilities, as all will know, generally lag the market over time.—
Carter Braxton Worth,
CNBC,
25 July 2025
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Of late, stout sales have also lagged behind other more trendy styles in craft beer.—
Erik Ofgang,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Delay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delay. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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