Synonyms for

Delayed

Verb / dɪˈleɪd / Another word for delayed — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

To make something happen at a later time than planned or expected.

Synonyms & similar words

delay stay retard detain rush holdup check postpone defer procrastinate stall wait linger lag dawdle tarry loiter pause halt stop suspend withhold restrain retard

Synonyms by register

Formal

postponed deferred adjourned protracted

Informal

held up running late behind schedule slowed down

Literary

tardy belated laggard

Antonyms

prompt early quick immediate timely ahead

Common collocations

  • delayed reaction
  • delayed payment
  • delayed response
  • delayed start
  • delayed effect
  • delayed diagnosis
  • delayed opening

Word family

noun delay
verb delay
adjective delayed
adverb delayedly

Usage note

Often used to describe events or actions that happen later than expected. 'Delayed' is the past participle of 'delay' and functions as an adjective.

Example sentences

  1. The train was delayed by an hour.
  2. I delayed my homework until the night before it was due.
  3. The construction work delayed the traffic for hours.
  4. He delayed his decision until he had all the information.
  5. The teacher delayed the test until next week.

Quotes

  • Time and tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty. - Robert Frost
  • The only way to avoid being unhappy is to close yourself up in Art and to count for nothing all the rest. - Gustave Flaubert
  • I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it. - Thomas Jefferson

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