lag 1 of 3

lag

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verb

lag

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lag different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of lag are dally, dawdle, delay, loiter, and procrastinate. While all these words mean "to move or act slowly so as to fall behind," lag implies failure to maintain a speed set by others.

lagging behind in technology

When might dally be a better fit than lag?

Although the words dally and lag have much in common, dally suggests delay through trifling or vacillation when promptness is necessary.

stop dallying and get to work

When is delay a more appropriate choice than lag?

In some situations, the words delay and lag are roughly equivalent. However, delay usually implies a putting off of something (such as a beginning or departure).

we cannot delay any longer

How do loiter and dawdle relate to one another, in the sense of lag?

Both loiter and dawdle imply delay while in progress, especially in walking, but dawdle more clearly suggests an aimless wasting of time.

loitered at several store windows
children dawdling on their way home from school

In what contexts can procrastinate take the place of lag?

While in some cases nearly identical to lag, procrastinate implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy.

procrastinates about making decisions

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of lag
Adjective
Above all: an apparent serious lag behind competitors incorporating AI into products and services. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 12 July 2025 With a shortage of top prospects and a lag in analytics, the Rockies are having to rush some of their best prospects due to the team’s needs at the major league level. Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 12 July 2025
Verb
With Baja mode activated, the twin-turbo V-6 engages the turbochargers' anti-lag function, and there's negligible delay in the power delivery during the quick on/off throttle sequences common to desert running. David Beard, Car and Driver, 20 June 2022 And some more good news for lovers of the distinctive fusillade produced by the original Impreza rally cars: this one keeps anti-lag, injecting fuel into the turbocharger to keep it spinning off-throttle. Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 21 June 2022
Noun
The same site even takes some shots at AT&T and Verizon, claiming both carriers are lagging behind on their own satellite capabilities. PC Magazine, 23 July 2025 Access to clean cooking equipment in sub-Saharan Africa continues to lag behind other regions, with four in five people using wood, charcoal, or dung as fuel over open fires or using basic stoves, according to an International Energy Agency report. Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for lag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lag
Adjective
  • Picard, meanwhile, accepted that its viewers just wanted to see Jean-Luc re-team with the cast from Next Generation, and built a more satisfying third and final season around an extended TNG reunion.
    Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2025
  • The first three days of the third and final season of Squid Game also came during the month of June.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • The brand recommends avoiding dabbing or blotting after applying the spray, as this can cause the fragrance to break down and fade.
    Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 15 July 2025
  • The celestial trio will remain close to each other throughout the night, with Saturn and Neptune eventually fading from sight in the southern sky when the sun rises on July 16.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • To understand why, consider what businesses stand to lose by delaying automation.
    Laurent Charpentier, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
  • No rain should delay either the sprint race or qualifying, but race day is a different story.
    Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, the Energy Institute’s recent Statistical Review of World Energy 2025, a global report that was once compiled by BP until very recently, did not directly predict a peak, but noted that some regions and nations - especially China - are seeing a slowdown or plateau in oil demand.
    Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
  • Retail sales rose a better-than-expected 0.6% in June, the Commerce Department said Thursday, after two consecutive months of spending declines, a 0.1% pullback in April and a 0.9% slowdown in May.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 17 July 2025
Adjective
  • The shooting happened the day before the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that killed 17 and is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S.
    Joey Cappelletti and Mike Householder, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Feb. 2023
  • The video is the latest in a lengthy stream of controversies the probation department has faced in recent years.
    James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • This reaction forms harmful compounds known as advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which can damage collagen fibers and potentially promote wrinkles and sagging skin.8 5.
    Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 25 July 2025
  • Unlike cheaper chairs at this price point (even the Snow Peak!), the mesh lets air flow through and conforms to your body without soaking or sagging.
    Chris Haslam, Wired News, 16 July 2025
Verb
  • The season ends with Sophie dragging Kyle’s body through the woods and to the edge of a cliff, dropping it in the water below.
    Melissa Locker, Time, 23 July 2025
  • 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
Noun
  • The right people are drawn to energy, not hesitation.
    JW Roth, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
  • Decades later in an interview with The Saturday Evening Post, Brolin reflected on his initial hesitation to take the role.
    Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 18 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lag. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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