delay

verb
UK: /dɪˈleɪ/
US: /dɪˈleɪ/

  1. To wait until a later time to do something.

    1. Don't delay! Start now. [ ] [ ]
    2. The flight was delayed due to bad weather, causing a significant delay for passengers. [ ] [ ]

  2. To cause something to happen at a later time than expected.

    1. The rain will delay our trip. [ ] [ ]
    2. Construction delays delayed the project's completion date by several months unexpectedly. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

suspension defer respite stall postpone
delay noun

  1. A situation in which something happens later than it should.

    1. There was a delay in the mail. [ ] [ ]
    2. The unexpected delay caused a ripple effect throughout the entire production schedule. [ ] [ ]

  2. The act of postponing or slowing down something.

    1. I hate any kind of delay. [ ] [ ]
    2. Any further delay in implementing these measures will prove detrimental to our efforts. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "delay" in English means: To wait until a later time to do something., To cause something to happen at a later time than expected..

The phonetic transcription of "delay" is /dɪˈleɪ/ in British English and /dɪˈleɪ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "delay": suspension, defer, respite, stall, postpone.

Example usage of "delay": "Don't delay! Start now.". More examples on the page.