I apologize for the delay in sending the agenda.
Source: tatoeba (20016)
Delay
/dɪˈleɪ/
Synonyms for "delay" (542 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (109)
Noun(32 words)
postponementdefermenthinderlatencyabeyanceabstentionappeal staybackloggingbacklogsbalkingbarandukibidingbogbreak in schedulebuffersbuycausecontinuancescontretempsdallying
Show 12 more words
Verb(16 words)
abideadjournafterthoughtarrestarrestationarrestmentawaitbackpedalbackwaterbe a sidelinerbe stillbidebide the issuebindblockblockadeblockageblockingbog downbottle up
Show 38 more words
brakebureaucratic delaycheckclip the wingscloggingclosing upclosurecoastconfineconstrictioncontinuecountercheckcrampcurbdallydamdam updampdampendawdledawdlingdeceleratedecelerationdeferdefermentdeferraldelayagedelayed reactiondetaindetainmentdetentiondillydillydallydo nothingdouble takedragdrag alongdrag out
Adjective(2 words)
Interjection(1 words)
dang delay
Strong matches (162)
draggingdraw reindriftdroneease offease upease-offease-upextendfalterfirefixationflagflaggingfoot draggingfoot-draggingforestallgapgoof offhalt
Show 77 more words
hamperhamperinghanghang abouthang aroundhang backhang firehang uphang-uphesitatehiatushibernatehinderhinderinghindrancehold backhold everythinghold in checkhold offhold onhold overhold uphold your horseshold-upholdbackholdupidleimpedeimpedimentinhibitinhibitioninterceptinterfereinterferenceinteriminterludeintermeddleintermitinterruptinterruptionintervalintervenejamkeepkeep backkeep in checklacunalaglag behindlagginglallygaglay asidelay awaylay bylay overletlet downlet upletdownletuplie dormantlingerlogjamloiterloiteringlollygaglose groundlose momentumlose speedlullmake latemark timemeddleminus accelerationmiremoderatemoratorium
Noun(39 words)
dragsdrawbacksembargoembargoesembargoingexecution stallfactorfail tofail to actfall behindfilibusterfilibusteringfilibustershasselhesitancehesitancyhesitationhesitationsholdhold-up
Show 19 more words
holdoffholdupholdupshurdlesidle timeimmobilized patientimpedeintermissionkeep the originallaglagslallygagginglarge amount of timelatenesslengthen the deadlinelingeringlogjamslollygaggingmaleseet
Adjective(4 words)
Verb(21 words)
erases progressfilibusteredforslowget in the way ofhaltedhaltinghesitateshinderedhindershold fireimpedeimpededimpedeslaggedlazelingeredloiterslollygaggedlollygagsmaunders
Show 1 more word
Adverb(1 words)
more swedish lag
Related words (271)
Determiner(1 words)
more time
mullnegativismnot budgenot stirnuisance valueobstructobstructionobstructionismocclusionopposeoppositionpaperasseriepausepigeonholeplaypokepoke alongpostponepostponementprevent
Show 116 more words
preventionprocrastinateprolongprorogateprorogueprotractprotractionpush asideput asideput awayput in mothballsput offput on iceput overrecessred tapered-tapeismred-taperyreefreinrein inrelaxremitrepressrepressionreprievereserveresistresistancerespiterestrestrainrestraintrestrictionretardretardanceretardationretardmentscotchset asideset backset bysetbackshelveshift offshilly shallyshilly-shallyshilly-shallyingsidelinesit backsit it outsit tightsit upslackslack offslack upslack-upslackenslackeningsleep onslowslow downslow upslow-upslowdownslowingslowing downslownessslowupsnubsqueezestagnatestallstand overstave offstaystay of executionstay upstick aroundstopstoppagestorestowstrangleholdstretch outstricturestringsuppresssuppressionsuspendsuspensiontabletable the motiontake a recesstake in sailtake timetarrytarryingtemporizethrottlethrottle downtie uptie-uptimetime lagtrailvacillatevegetatewaitwait a minutewait and seewaitingwaivewaste timewatch and waitwaver
Verb(40 words)
Noun(86 words)
neglect timeon holdoverrun timepause switchpausespausingplot stallpolicy stalematepostponepostponed motionpostponementspostponerpostponingprocrastinatingprocrastinationproject delaysproject pauseprolongingprorogationprotraction
Show 66 more words
puntpuntingputoffquibblereasonreform resistantreluctanceremain undecidedreprievesreprievingreschedulerespiterespitesresponse timeretardretardingretardsrigamarolesroadblockingrunaroundschedule change exclamationsetbacksslippagesslowslowpokesluggishnesssnagssnailssnarlsnoozesnoozessnoozingspanish hesitarstall for timestallingstallsstandstill trafficstandstillnessstasisstonewallingsuspendingtable settingtardinesstemporizingthunkthunksthwartingtimetime lagtime outtime out strategiestime wastetime-outtimeouttoddlingtolling statute of limitationstoo latetrial stasisunderdevelopmentuntimelinesswafflingwaitwaitewaylayingwithheld datawithholding
Adjective(8 words)
prolonged stoppagesafe weatherslower trackswedish lagstemporary immobilitiesunexecuted contractunexpected schedule delayunplaced
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: postponement, deferment, detain, hinder, hold up.
- Sentence evidence is available for delay, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "delay".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "delay"
Keep "delay" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "delay" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "delay", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "delay" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
25 entriesShowing 16 of 25 words.
More specific
13 entriesadministrative delayadministrative errorblockbureaucratic delaydelivery delayequipment failurehitchpostponeprocrastinatestalltrain delayweather delayweather factor
Collocations
12 entriescause a delaydelay a projectdelay in deliverydelay in submissiondelay the deadlinedelay the startexperience a delaylong delaymajor delaytime delaytravel delayweather delay
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesSample sentences
23 total sentences available.
We should deal with this matter without delay.
Source: tatoeba (22811)
In case the shipment is delayed, we have special delay insurance.
Source: tatoeba (23689)
If the delay is simply an oversight, will you please take care of it at once?
Source: tatoeba (30987)
Showing 4 of 23 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "delay"?
Closest matches include postponement, deferment, detain, hinder, hold up.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "delay"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.