1
as in lingering
to move or act slowly
she ordered the kids to stop delaying and to get to bed
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in postponing
to assign to a later time
our guests delayed their departure until after dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of delaying
Since oxygen is the culprit, the trick to delaying the browning process is to shield the flesh from oxygen exposure.
—
Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 10 Jan. 2026
But a weaker-than-expected first quarterly earnings report in September was followed a week later by a testing explosion that destroyed a rocket stage — delaying an upcoming launch — and sent the company’s stock plummeting to about $20.
—Paul Flahive, Austin American Statesman, 9 Jan. 2026
As Cuenca plays a ball to the feet of his striker, Wilson dashes in the other direction, delaying Ibrahima Konate’s forward jump because the centre-back knows Bradley is unable to track both him and Robinson at the same time.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
While jailed, Braddy also became known for delaying his first trial by going through 10 lawyers and, at one point, representing himself.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
There has been a lot of misinformation related to delaying vaccination in children.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
Apple was supposed to launch the next generation of its Siri AI assistant last year, but the company wound up delaying that release.
—Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 7 Jan. 2026
While many campuses were delaying scholarship decisions until the government resolved problems with a new financial aid form, Swarthmore used other data to figure out applicants’ financial need.
—Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
These cuts mean reducing supply budgets in most departments, delaying the purchase of new math curriculum and Chromebooks, freezing hiring for nonclassroom positions and canceling contract agreements that will not disrupt operations.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for delaying
Verb
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Ultimately, however, the lingering impact of being dragged last summer is known only to the officer – who is said to be experienced, with more than 10 years of service as an ICE deportation officer, according to DHS.—
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The lingering fear of Jerry's wrath?—
Verb
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Consider postponing boating activities on the lake until a day with less wind.—
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Trump signed a proclamation hours before the end of 2025, postponing the tariff hikes on these items, which were originally due to take effect on Thursday.—
Verb
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Kerra, the dog referenced in the video, had developed a grapefruit-sized mass on her breast tissue that was dragging on the ground and causing significant discomfort.—
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That takes nothing away, though, from the epic job Herbert did dragging the Chargers through the second half of the season.—
Verb
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Newsom's office previously provided a statement to Fox News Digital, deferring responsibility for the situation to the CIF, CDE and state legislature.—
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Had Darnold not crumbled in the postseason, re-signing him to a multi-year deal and deferring McCarthy to a three-year development plan would have been reasonable.—
Verb
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Tonight, after poking the bear, this bear roared.—
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There are also dual Akrapvoic exhausts poking out the rear, framed by slim taillights.—
Verb
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Now, Letts has brought Coon back to Broadway with the Main Stem debut of his 1996 play Bug, a skin-crawling portrayal of people on the fringes.—
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Here, there's a skin-crawling effect to watching the story unfold onstage.—
Cite this Entry
“Delaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delaying. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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