Synonyms of delaying

delaying

verb

present participle of delay

1

as in lingering

to move or act slowly

she ordered the kids to stop delaying and to get to bed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lingering
• dragging
• poking
• crawling
• stalling
• creeping
• lagging
• strolling
• playing
• dawdling
• loitering
• shuffling
• tarrying
• falling behind
• diddling
• dropping behind
• hanging fire
• marking time
• lollygagging
• moping
• dillydallying
• dallying
• idling
• lounging
• staggering
• shilly-shallying
• taking one's time
• dragging one's feet
• trifling
• fiddling (around)
• loafing
• hanging (around or out)
• inching
• fooling around
• puttering (around)
• decelerating
• sauntering
• pottering (around)
• easing
• messing around
• ambling
• procrastinating
• monkeying (around)
• temporizing
• slowing (down or up)
• lolling
• filibustering
• plodding
• lumbering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hastening
• hurrying
• rushing
• tearing
• speeding
• running
• flying
• ripping
• racing
• scurrying
• bolting
• dashing
• whirling
• barreling
• zipping
• whizzing
• coursing
• whisking
• scrambling
• scooting
• rocketing
• careering
• scudding
• darting
• hustling
• hurtling
• running
• accelerating
• stampeding
• humping
• breezing
• bowling
• galloping
• sprinting
• trotting
• jogging
• quickening
• hotfooting (it)
• speeding (up)
• overtaking
• outstripping
• outrunning
• outpacing
• catching up
• fast-forwarding

2

as in postponing

to assign to a later time

our guests delayed their departure until after dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

• postponing
• deferring
• waiting
• shelving
• holding over
• remitting
• suspending
• putting off
• hesitating
• slowing
• holding off (on)
• putting over
• pausing
• prolonging
• laying over
• retarding
• lengthening
• holding up
• staying
• detaining
• stretching (out)
• extending
• protracting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• doing
• working (on)
• acting
• dealing (with)
• deciding (upon)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of delaying

As first revealed by Deadline, insiders expect Brittin to confirm TV and radio network closures after delaying plans to announce the changes this week. — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026

According to researchers, a combination of emissions from wildfires, long-term ozone effects and climate change impacts is likely delaying progress. — Dan Peck, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026

In addition to delaying missile shipments to Tokyo and withdrawing its aircraft carrier from the region, the United States has scaled back or canceled joint military exercises with South Korea. — David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2026

The fight, Haro said, is about more than extending a lease or delaying an eviction. — Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2026

Shrinking resources and the accompanying uncertainty is delaying medical research and threatening progress towards finding cures, the team behind Proposition 38 said. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026

State officials have repeatedly denied permits for the gas pipeline needed to power the project, delaying its progress by at least six months. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Quantum error correction is a major bottleneck that is significantly delaying the rollout of quantum computing in the real world. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026

Too many executives have been able to disregard the recommendations of their sustainability colleagues, finding ways of delaying difficult but inevitable decisions and avoiding short-term pain at the cost of longer-term gain. — Johannes Teyssen, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026