Synonyms of delays

delays 1 of 2

noun

plural of delay

as in waits

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

• waits
• holdups
• postponements
• pauses
• setbacks
• detentions
• deferrals
• hesitations
• lags
• holding patterns
• holdbacks
• deferments
• slowdowns
• respites
• detainments
• reprieves
• foot-draggings

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rushes
• dispatches
• hastes
• promptitudes

delays

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of delay

1

as in lingers

to move or act slowly

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lingers
• drags
• crawls
• pokes
• lags
• dawdles
• strolls
• marks time
• creeps
• falls behind
• hangs fire
• drops behind
• plays
• shuffles
• loiters
• stalls
• tarries
• lollygags
• mopes
• diddles
• dillydallies
• dallies
• takes one's time
• lounges
• staggers
• shilly-shallies
• drags one's feet
• fools around
• idles
• fiddles (around)
• messes around
• hangs (around or out)
• inches
• potters (around)
• slows (down or up)
• trifles
• putters (around)
• eases
• loafs
• monkeys (around)
• decelerates
• procrastinates
• ambles
• saunters
• temporizes
• plods
• lolls
• lumbers
• filibusters

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• tears
• speeds
• courses
• races
• barrels
• hastens
• careers
• hurries
• rushes
• runs
• flies
• rips
• whizzes
• dashes
• whirls
• zips
• hurtles
• rockets
• scurries
• bolts
• whisks
• scrambles
• scoots
• humps
• stampedes
• hustles
• breezes
• darts
• scuds
• bowls
• runs
• accelerates
• sprints
• jogs
• speeds (up)
• hotfoots (it)
• gallops
• trots
• quickens
• overtakes
• outstrips
• outpaces
• outruns
• catches up
• fast-forwards

2

as in postpones

to assign to a later time

our guests delayed their departure until after dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

• postpones
• defers
• waits
• shelves
• holds over
• remits
• pauses
• lays over
• slows
• holds off (on)
• suspends
• hesitates
• puts over
• retards
• puts off
• holds up
• prolongs
• lengthens
• stays
• stretches (out)
• detains
• protracts
• extends

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• does
• acts
• works (on)
• deals (with)
• decides (upon)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of delays

Noun

Public opposition has already impacted around $42 billion of data center investments in Europe, in account delays and cancellations, according to research from STL Partners. — April Roach,jenny Lee, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026

However, delays in actual delivery have meant that only the first batch has been delivered this year. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026

These components ensure the right data reaches the model at the right time with the right context, eliminating delays, fragmentation and blind spots that make even strong models ineffective. — Harsh Verma, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Others can include delays in reporting and a lack of independent witnesses. — Cindy Carcamo, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Oct. 2026

Cohen blames other departments’ delays in turning over data as part of the reason for its chronic lateness. — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

This way, if there are any changes or delays, you will be notified immediately. — Ayesha Ali, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026

After several delays, including Panganiban’s pregnancy, Jadaone’s work on Sunshine, and Balbuena’s leadership role at the now defunct Anima Studios, the team is now reviving the project. — Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2026

Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities and developmental delays. — Rebecca Smullin Dawson, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026

Verb

Fat actually delays gastric emptying and digestion even more, keeping blood sugar much steadier. — Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 17 Sep. 2026

Tennis has always been highly dependent on the weather; unlike in soccer or football, rain cancels or delays a match until the court is dry enough to be playable. — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026

But a provision that delays for one month a federal ban on intoxicating hemp THC products has prompted criticism from many GOP lawmakers. — Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

So pretending imbalance isn't happening — like when one partner is regularly absorbing all the work and smiling through it — just delays the same resentment that often festers in exchange relationships. — Mark Travers, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026

That is not only a problem for expanding power grid infrastructure to support growing electricity demand, but also delays the process of replacing aging power transformers. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026

Nearly all report that the process contributes to burnout and delays care. — Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Cellphone use before bed delays the natural drop in cortisol that teenagers need to fall asleep, according to Alice Hoagland, PhD, director of the Insomnia Clinic at the Rochester Regional Sleep Disorder Center. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2026

Brooklyn Village delays There’s been two major delays in the past 10 years. — Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2026