DELAYED Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

delayed 1 of 3

adjective

as in belated

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delayed

2 of 3

adverb

as in postponed

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Dissimilar Words

delayed

3 of 3

verb

past tense of delay

as in lingered

to move or act slowly she ordered the kids to stop delaying and to get to bed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deferred

to assign to a later time our guests delayed their departure until after dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 delayed

Adjective

After Tuesday’s practice, Purdy detailed how a delayed throw to Luke Farrell got intercepted by linebacker Del-Shawn Phillips off near the goal line. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 21 Aug. 2026 The Real Problem Is The Ripple A delayed flight is easy to detect. — Ishraq Khan, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 In that trial, rings of contacts of cases, as well as contacts of the contacts, were randomized to either get the vaccine immediately or on a delayed basis. — Helen Branswell, STAT, 12 Aug. 2026 Ahead of the commissioners’ discussion and delayed vote, there was a flood of opposition from residents, politicians and voting right groups. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2026 The impact is already being felt across various regions, from a delayed start to the Indian monsoon to a temporary halt to Peru’s fishing season. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 21 June 2026 That meant a delayed return to full activities. — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 9 June 2026 In a statement provided to KDKA-TV, Allegheny County said that a malfunction led to the delayed opening. — Jessica Riley, CBS News, 8 June 2026 The Metro-North Platform in Stamford The Stamford train platform is not exactly poetry — unless your idea of romance involves delayed commuters, laptop bags, and people silently negotiating personal space. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 27 May 2026

Verb

Delane’s pro debut was delayed by a shoulder injury suffered in the spring, limiting his practice in OTAs and training camp. — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Aug. 2026 Urgent repair projects will be delayed, construction costs will multiply, and the visitor experience will inevitably decline as facilities fall into disrepair, risking the safety of millions of tourists and residents alike. — Lulu Vilas, Sun Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026 The closure is weather dependent, and could possibly be delayed if conditions are not ideal. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026 However, her return was furthered delayed due to complications of Graves’ disease. — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026 Edgar was expected to take the stand after voicing a desire to pursue an insanity defense, a request that delayed the trial in January. — Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026 The game was delayed 88 minutes by rain in the eighth inning. — CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 MetLife, an outdoor venue, was drenched, and the start was delayed. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026 Downed trees and power lines are the reasons why the Duneland School Corporation has delayed the start of school until at least Thursday. — Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for delayed

Adjective

With the belated realization that the Chinese had indeed overtaken them in the burgeoning electric-vehicle business, the world’s other car-makers descended into doom and gloom.

— Jamie Kitman, Air Mail, 15 Aug. 2026
Councilman Izzy Patoka alluded to the financial hole that the county dug for itself by its belated adoption of development impact fees and excise taxes in 2019.

— David Plymyer, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of belated

Verb

Tagovailoa on return, boos Falcons and former Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was greeted with boos during Friday’s preseason game, lingered on the field afterward to embrace several former teammates and Dolphins staffers.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Young wound up going 8–5 as a starter and won Offensive Rookie of the Year, but tensions lingered.

— Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of lingered

Verb

Researchers can use this moment to finally build the ethical infrastructure around the cultivation of insider sources and source compensation that the field has postponed for too long.

— Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Saturday’s game in Liberty was postponed after a Cardinals player suffered a medical emergency on the sideline and died.

— The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of postponed

Adjective

Many questions are set to be answered on Tuesday, and The Athletic will bring you all the latest through our dedicated live coverage.

— Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
At this late juncture in the season, the instability of the Akira One’s revolving-door crew is taking its toll.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of late

Verb

The winter chill that dragged digital assets down during most of the hot summer months is finally beginning to lift, with the price of Bitcoin surging about 20 percent last week, its strongest three-day rally since 2023.

— Peter Mintzberg, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
In 2024, Burke’s squad dragged itself off the mat after an awful (yet at the time, typical) start to the season to go unbeaten in 12 of 13 matches down the stretch and narrowly miss the playoffs.

— Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of dragged

Verb

Edwin Díaz The Dodgers outbid the New York Mets for the services of closer Edwin Díaz, agreeing to a three-year, $69 million contract (with much of it deferred).

— Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
But Japan’s experience suggests what can happen when a bunch of young people who did everything right to prepare for adulthood find the fruits of adulthood deferred, en masse.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of deferred

Verb

Better together Industry analysts, experts and insiders have consistently poked holes in the states' argument that the combination of TV networks would create antitrust issues.

— Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
So too were the buildings, including my hotel, which poked through the seven-foot-high snowbanks, looking like an ancient shipwreck covered in shifting sand.

— Adam H. Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of poked

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“Delayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/delayed. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of delayed

adjective

adverb

verb

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