Synonyms for delay
- verb
- noun
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Postpone — to put off until a later time; to defer
postpone, wait informal, defer, suspend, put off, adjourn, prolong, waive, stall, fore-slow, roll back, stave off, protract, tarry dated, penelopize rare, penelopise UK
Other
check, pause, procrastinate, hesitate, dilly-dally, linger, moderate, loiter, calm, belate rare
Noun
1. Postponement
postponement, time lag, detention, impediment, hindrance, deferment, suspension, respite, stoppage, obstruction, adjournment, reprieve, hold
Other
hold-up informal, retard, retardation, slow, hinder, lag, time-delay, waiting, latency, deferring, hesitation, procrastination
Definitions
- v. 1
To put off until a later time; to defer.
- v. 2
To retard; to temporarily stop, detain, or hinder.
The mail is delayed by a heavy fall of snow.
- n. 1
A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.
Two twenty minutes' delays.
Related words
- Word family
- delayed delayable
- Phrases
- broadcast delay profanity delay round-trip delay time tape delay time-delay
- Is a kind of
- period
Choose the right word
One may defer, delay, or postpone a matter intelligently and for good reason; he procrastinates through indolence and irresolution.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- suspend The principal decided to suspend Lorenzo for a week.
- postpone We are left with having to postpone our departure.
- prolong Look, I don't want to prolong this--you're fired.
- defer I defer to no one in my admiration for these heroes.
- interrupt I don't want to interrupt Tom while he's speaking.
- impede He has tried to impede an official investigation.
By length
- 3 letters
- lag1
- 4 letters
- stop1, wait1, stay1, hold1, slow1, calm1
- 5 letters
- check1, catch1, pause1, stall1, defer2, waive1, quell1, tarry2
- 6 letters
- arrest2, retard2, hinder2, linger2, detain2, impede2, loiter2, belate2
- 7 letters
- waiting2, suspend2, inhibit3, latency3, prolong2, respite2, adjourn2
- 8 letters
- moderate3, hesitate3, postpone2, stoppage2, obstruct2, reprieve2, protract2
- 9 letters
- detention3, interrupt3, hindrance2, deferring3, deferment3
- 10 letters
- suspension3, hesitation4, impediment4, penelopize, penelopise
- 11 letters
- obstruction3, retardation4, adjournment3
- 12 letters
- postponement3
- 13 letters
- procrastinate4
- 15 letters
- procrastination5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (defer2 = 2 syllables).