1
as in to fade
to lose bodily strength or vigor
during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to delay
to move or act slowly
the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in final
following all others of the same kind in order or time
we're now in the lag end of the project
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in slowdown
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of lag
Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 7 Jan. 2026
Last fall, experts told TIME that lagging vaccination rates were likely responsible for a surge of influenza cases across Asia.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
Kara McGinley, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
And some more good news for lovers of the distinctive fusillade produced by the original Impreza rally cars: this one keeps anti-lag, injecting fuel into the turbocharger to keep it spinning off-throttle.
—Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 21 June 2022
Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 15 Dec. 2025
The prototype currently supports conversations involving the wearer and up to four other speakers without noticeable lag.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lag
Verb
North Carolina ranks 43rd in the nation for teacher pay, lagging behind neighboring states like South Carolina and Virginia.
—Adjective
Faster speeds mean less lag and smoother use for multiple devices.
—Noun
The delays were generally attributed to a lag time while the agency reviewed the application, a need for more information, or the agency and the applicant waiting on each other.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for lag
Verb
-
The California Association of Realtors also predicts that, as economic uncertainty fades and rates begin to decline more steadily, the housing market should improve throughout 2026.—
-
As human activity and food waste returned, those differences appeared to fade in later generations.—
Verb
-
If Takaichi cannot enact the budget by the end of March, her government would have to compile a stop-gap budget, which could delay execution of spending measures.—
-
For people with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, delaying or not getting care could be fatal.—
Adjective
-
With Packers first-year team president Ed Policy likely approaching a decision on LaFleur’s future this offseason before the final year of his contract, LaFleur did himself no favors ahead of those conversations.—
-
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP George Clooney and Don Cheadle, who came onstage to present the final award for the night, joked about the standing ovation, with Cheadle noting Clooney did not receive one.—
Noun
-
The slowdown in production has also put a strain on industry health plans, which could force negotiators to look into adjusting benefit structures.—
-
Stocks edged higher following the release, easing fears of a sharper employment slowdown.—
Verb
-
The fragile skeleton of her ego threatened to snap under the pressure of the animal forces that pressed down on her consciousness, her narrative mind sagging and distended beneath pitiless and grandiose feeling.—
-
Pre-festival enthusiasm sagged compared to the inaugural year.—
Verb
-
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.—
-
Early next week, a brief warmup returns highs to the 30s before cooler air likely lingers deeper into mid-January.—
Adjective
-
The video is the latest in a lengthy stream of controversies the probation department has faced in recent years.—
-
The shooting happened the day before the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that killed 17 and is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S.—
Noun
-
In his view, hesitation invites escalation.—
-
Despite some analyst hesitation that the popular running brands may be losing some of their steam in the market, both labels posted stellar earnings in their most recent quarterly reports.—
Cite this Entry
“Lag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lag. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share