Standard Lemma guide

delay

name · noun · verb · 17 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /dɪˈleɪ̯/ weak vowel distinction
  • [dɪˈleɪ̯] weak vowel distinction
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • /dəˈleɪ̯/ weak vowel merger
  • [dəˈleɪ̯] weak vowel merger
  • rhymes with -eɪ
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 L EY1 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • the delay before the echo of a sound
  • Two twenty minutes' delays.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

An audio effects unit that introduces a controlled delay.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Synonym of promise (“object representing delayed result”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: promise

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

An amount of time provided on each move before one's clock starts to tick; a less common time control than increment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: board-games, chess, games

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To put off until a later time; to defer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To retard; to temporarily stop, detain, or hinder.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The mail is delayed by a heavy fall of snow.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To wait, hesitate, tarry.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • Don't delay; this special offer ends at midnight!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To allay; to temper.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To dilute, temper.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To assuage, quench, allay.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

the act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: holdup

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: inactivity

Narrower terms: break, interruption, disruption, gap, demurrage, forbearance, postponement, deferment, deferral, procrastination, cunctation, shillyshally, slowdown, lag, retardation, dalliance, dawdling, trifling, filibuster, tarriance, lingering

13

noun

Meaning 13

time during which some action is awaited

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • instant replay caused too long a delay
  • he ordered a hold in the action

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hold, time lag, postponement, wait

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pause, intermission, break, interruption, suspension

Narrower terms: extension, moratorium, retardation

14

verb

Meaning 14

slow the growth or development of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The brain damage will retard the child's language development

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: check, retard

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

Narrower terms: dampen, stay, detain, delay

15

verb

Meaning 15

cause to be slowed down or delayed

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Traffic was delayed by the bad weather
  • she delayed the work that she didn't want to perform

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: detain, hold up

Antonyms: rush

Broader terms: decelerate, slow, slow down, slow up, retard

Narrower terms: stonewall, catch, stall, buy time

16

verb

Meaning 16

stop or halt

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Please stay the bloodshed!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stay, detain

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: check, retard, delay

17

verb

Meaning 17

act later than planned, scheduled, or required

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Don't delay your application to graduate school or else it won't be considered

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: wait, hold off, hold back

Narrower terms: hesitate, pause, procrastinate, stall, drag one's feet, drag one's heels, shillyshally, dilly-dally, dillydally, postpone, prorogue, hold over, put over, table, shelve, set back, defer, remit, put off

History

Etymology

From Middle English delaien, borrowed from Anglo-Norman delaier, Old French deslaier, from des- + Old French laier (“to leave”), a conflation of Old Frankish *lattjan ("to delay, hinder"; from Proto-Germanic *latjaną (“to delay, hinder, stall”), from Proto-Indo-European *leh1d- (“to leave, leave behind”)), and Old Frankish *laibijan ("to leave"; from Proto-Germanic *laibijaną (“to leave, cause to stay”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to remain, continue”)). Doublet of dally. Akin to Old English latian (“to delay, hesitate”), Old English latu (“a delay, a hindrance”), Old English lǣfan (“to leave”). More at let (to hinder), late, leave.

From Middle English delaien, from Old French delaiier, a variant of delaissier.

Across languages

Translations

244 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: تَأْخِير (taʔḵīr) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Arabic: تَأَخَّر (taʔaḵḵar) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Arabic: مهلة (mihla) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Armenian: ուշացում (ušacʻum) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Assamese: পলম (polom) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Assamese: দেৰি (deri) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Asturian: atrasu — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Asturian: allanzada — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Asturian: allanciada — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Azerbaijani: ləngimə — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Azerbaijani: yubanma — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Azerbaijani: gecikmə — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Azerbaijani: təxir — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Belarusian: затры́мка (zatrýmka) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Belarusian: прыпы́нак (prypýnak) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Belarusian: прамару́джанне (pramarúdžannje) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Belarusian: спазне́нне (spaznjénnje) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Bulgarian: отла́гане (otlágane) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Bulgarian: заба́вяне (zabávjane) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Bulgarian: закъсне́ние (zakǎsnénie) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Catalan: retard — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Catalan: demora — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Catalan: endarreriment — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Chinese Mandarin: 遲延 /迟延 (chíyán) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Chinese Mandarin: 延遲 /延迟 (yánchí) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Czech: zpoždění — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Dutch: vertraging — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Dutch: oponthoud — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Esperanto: prokrasto — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Finnish: viivästys — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Finnish: viive — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Finnish: viipymä — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Finnish: viivästymä — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Finnish: jahkailu — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Finnish: viivyttely — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Finnish: vitkastelu — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Finnish: aikailu — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Finnish: kuhnailu — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Finnish: lykkäys — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Finnish: vitkuttelu — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • French: délai — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • French: retard — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Galician: demora — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Galician: mora — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Galician: retraso — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • German: Verzögerung — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • German: Verspätung — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Ancient Greek: τριβή (tribḗ) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Hebrew: איחור — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Hebrew: אִחוּר (ikhúr) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Hebrew: איכוב — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Hebrew: עכוּב (ikúv) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Hindi: देर (der) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Hindi: विलंब (vilamb) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Hungarian: késedelem — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Hungarian: késés — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Icelandic: töf — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Indonesian: keterlambatan — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Irish: faillí — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Italian: ritardo — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Japanese: 遅れ (okure) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Japanese: 遅延 (chien) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Kashmiri: ژیر (ċēr) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Kashmiri: بیٹھ (bēṭh) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Kashmiri: ہیٹھ (hēṭh) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Kashmiri: ژرٛیٹھ (ċrēṭh) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Kazakh: кідіріс (kıdırıs) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Korean: 지연 (jiyeon) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Korean: 지체 (jiche) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Central Kurdish: دواخستن (dwaxistin) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Central Kurdish: پاشخستن (paşxistin) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Latin: mora — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Macedonian: одложување (odložuvanje) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Maltese: dewmien — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Māori: akutōtanga — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Māori: roa — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Norwegian Bokmål: forsinkelse — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Persian: دِرَنگ (derang) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Persian: دیرکَرد (dirkard) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Polish: opóźnienie — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Portuguese: atraso — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Portuguese: demora — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Portuguese: mora — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Portuguese: espera — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Portuguese: delay — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Romanian: întârziere — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Russian: заде́ржка (zadéržka) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Russian: промедле́ние (promedlénije) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Russian: опозда́ние (opozdánije) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Scottish Gaelic: dàil — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Serbo-Croatian: кашњење — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Serbo-Croatian: закашњење — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Serbo-Croatian: kašnjenje — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Serbo-Croatian: zakašnjenje — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Slovak: sklz — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Slovak: zdržanie — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Slovak: meškanie — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Slovene: zamuda — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Slovene: odlašanje — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Somali: daahi — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Spanish: retraso — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Spanish: demora — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Spanish: atraso — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Spanish: retardo — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Swedish: försening — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Swedish: fördröjning — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Swedish: uppskov — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Telugu: ఆలస్యము (ālasyamu) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Thai: ดีเลย์ — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Tigrinya: ደንጐየ (dängwäyä) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Tigrinya: ድንጓየ (dəngwayä) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Tigrinya: ደንጎየ (dängoyä) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Turkish: gecikme — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Turkish: rötar — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Ukrainian: за́тримка (zátrymka) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Ukrainian: затри́мка (zatrýmka) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Ukrainian: заде́ржка (zadéržka) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Ukrainian: га́янка (hájanka) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Ukrainian: зволіка́ння (zvolikánnja) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Ukrainian: спі́знення (spíznennja) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Urdu: دیر (der) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Yiddish: אָפּלייג (opleyg) — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Zazaki: rotar — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Zazaki: peymende — period of time before an event occurs; act of delaying
  • Albanian: mbodhis — to put off until a later time
  • Albanian: vonoj — to put off until a later time
  • Arabic: أَجَّلَ (ʔajjala) — to put off until a later time
  • Arabic: أَبْطَأَ (ʔabṭaʔa) — to put off until a later time
  • Armenian: հետաձգել (hetajgel) — to put off until a later time
  • Armenian: ձգձգել (jgjgel) — to put off until a later time
  • Armenian: ուշացնել (ušacʻnel) — to put off until a later time
  • Aromanian: amãn — to put off until a later time
  • Aromanian: ntãrdedz — to put off until a later time
  • Asturian: atrasar — to put off until a later time
  • Asturian: allanzar — to put off until a later time
  • Asturian: allanciar — to put off until a later time
  • Bulgarian: колебая се (kolebaja se) — to put off until a later time
  • Bulgarian: отла́гам (otlágam) — to put off until a later time
  • Bulgarian: отло́жа (otlóža) — to put off until a later time
  • Bulgarian: заба́вям (zabávjam) — to put off until a later time
  • Bulgarian: заба́вя (zabávja) — to put off until a later time
  • Catalan: endarrerir — to put off until a later time
  • Catalan: demorar — to put off until a later time
  • Chinese Mandarin: 遲延 /迟延 (chíyán) — to put off until a later time
  • Chinese Mandarin: 延遲 /延迟 (yánchí) — to put off until a later time
  • Chinese Mandarin: 耽誤 /耽误 — to put off until a later time
  • Danish: forsinke — to put off until a later time
  • Danish: udsætte — to put off until a later time
  • Danish: opsætte — to put off until a later time
  • Dutch: uitstellen — to put off until a later time
  • Dutch: verdagen — to put off until a later time
  • Esperanto: prokrasti — to put off until a later time
  • Esperanto: malfruigi — to put off until a later time
  • Finnish: viivyttää — to put off until a later time
  • Finnish: viivästyttää — to put off until a later time
  • Finnish: viivästää — to put off until a later time
  • Finnish: lykätä — to put off until a later time
  • Finnish: myöhäistää — to put off until a later time
  • Finnish: siirtää tuonnemmaksi — to put off until a later time
  • Finnish: siirtää myöhemmäksi — to put off until a later time
  • Finnish: siirtää eteenpäin — to put off until a later time
  • French: retarder — to put off until a later time
  • German: aufschieben — to put off until a later time
  • German: unterbrechen — to put off until a later time
  • German: sich verspäten — to put off until a later time
  • German: verschieben — to put off until a later time
  • German: vertagen — to put off until a later time
  • German: verzögern — to put off until a later time
  • German: zögern — to put off until a later time
  • Greek: αναβάλλω (anavállo) — to put off until a later time
  • Ancient Greek: ἀναβάλλω (anabállō) — to put off until a later time
  • Hebrew: עִכֵּב (ikév) — to put off until a later time
  • Hungarian: elhalaszt — to put off until a later time
  • Hungarian: elnapol — to put off until a later time
  • Hungarian: elodáz — to put off until a later time
  • Hungarian: felfüggeszt — to put off until a later time
  • Hungarian: halaszt — to put off until a later time
  • Icelandic: seinka — to put off until a later time
  • Ido: tardigar — to put off until a later time
  • Italian: differire — to put off until a later time
  • Italian: rimandare — to put off until a later time
  • Japanese: 遅延させる — to put off until a later time
  • Japanese: 遅らせる (okuraseru) — to put off until a later time
  • Central Kurdish: دوای ئەخات (dway exat) — to put off until a later time
  • Latin: cunctor — to put off until a later time
  • Latin: demoror — to put off until a later time
  • Latin: moror — to put off until a later time
  • Lithuanian: atidėti — to put off until a later time
  • Malay: tangguhkan — to put off until a later time
  • Māori: whakaakutō — to put off until a later time
  • Māori: takaware — to put off until a later time
  • Māori: whakatōmuri — to put off until a later time
  • Norman: r'tèrgi — to put off until a later time
  • Norwegian Bokmål: utsette — to put off until a later time
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: utsetja — to put off until a later time
  • Old English: ieldan — to put off until a later time
  • Old English: gælan — to put off until a later time
  • Old English: lettan — to put off until a later time
  • Old English: elcian — to put off until a later time
  • Pashto: ځنډ (źanḍ) — to put off until a later time
  • Polish: opóźniać — to put off until a later time
  • Polish: opóźnić — to put off until a later time
  • Portuguese: atrasar — to put off until a later time
  • Portuguese: adiar — to put off until a later time
  • Portuguese: protelar — to put off until a later time
  • Portuguese: postergar — to put off until a later time
  • Portuguese: retardar — to put off until a later time
  • Quechua: apatatay — to put off until a later time
  • Romanian: întârzia — to put off until a later time
  • Romanian: amâna — to put off until a later time
  • Russian: откла́дывать (otkládyvatʹ) — to put off until a later time
  • Russian: отложи́ть (otložítʹ) — to put off until a later time
  • Russian: заде́рживать (zadérživatʹ) — to put off until a later time
  • Russian: задержа́ть (zaderžátʹ) — to put off until a later time
  • Serbo-Croatian: колебати се — to put off until a later time
  • Serbo-Croatian: одга́ђати — to put off until a later time
  • Serbo-Croatian: одго̀дити — to put off until a later time
  • Serbo-Croatian: kolebati se — to put off until a later time
  • Serbo-Croatian: odgáđati — to put off until a later time
  • Serbo-Croatian: odgòditi — to put off until a later time
  • Spanish: atrasar — to put off until a later time
  • Spanish: demorar — to put off until a later time
  • Spanish: retrasar — to put off until a later time
  • Spanish: retardar — to put off until a later time
  • Spanish: postponer — to put off until a later time
  • Spanish: postergar — to put off until a later time
  • Spanish: remorar (disused) — to put off until a later time
  • Spanish: aplazar — to put off until a later time
  • Spanish: prorrogar — to put off until a later time
  • Swedish: skjuta upp — to put off until a later time
  • Swedish: senarelägga — to put off until a later time
  • Swedish: fördröja — to put off until a later time
  • Thai: รอรี — to put off until a later time
  • Thai: รีรอ — to put off until a later time
  • Thai: ลังเล (lang-lee) — to put off until a later time
  • Thai: ชักช้า (chák-cháa) — to put off until a later time
  • Turkish: ertelemek — to put off until a later time
  • Ottoman Turkish: صالمق (salmak) — to put off until a later time
  • Ukrainian: відклада́ти (vidkladáty) — to put off until a later time
  • Ukrainian: відкла́сти (vidklásty) — to put off until a later time
  • Vietnamese: hoãn — to put off until a later time
  • Vietnamese: trì hoãn — to put off until a later time
  • Yiddish: אָפּלייגן (opleygn) — to put off until a later time
  • Zazaki: terkneyen — to put off until a later time
Real reading context

delay in complete knowledge articles