Delay means to make something happen later or take more time.
A delay happens when something is not done on time. It can also mean slowing something down.
Hesitate
Meaning: To pause before doing something.
Example: He hesitated before answering.
Pause
Meaning: To stop for a short time.
Example: She paused while speaking.
Wait
Meaning: To stay until something happens.
Example: We waited for the bus.
Hold up
Meaning: To make something late.
Example: The rain held up the match.
Postpone
Meaning: To move to a later time.
Example: They postponed the meeting.
Reschedule
Meaning: To change the time of something.
Example: The event was rescheduled.
Interrupt
Meaning: To stop something briefly.
Example: He interrupted the work.
Slow
Meaning: To make less fast.
Example: The car slowed down.
Slow down
Meaning: To reduce speed.
Example: She slowed down while walking.
Crawl
Meaning: To move very slowly.
Example: Traffic crawled in the city.
Linger
Meaning: To stay longer than needed.
Example: He lingered after class.
Drag
Meaning: To make something slow.
Example: The work dragged on.
Stall
Meaning: To stop progress.
Example: The project stalled.
Halt
Meaning: To stop completely.
Example: The train halted suddenly.
Freeze
Meaning: To stop moving.
Example: Everything froze for a moment.
Break
Meaning: To stop temporarily.
Example: They took a break.
Suspend
Meaning: To stop for a time. Example: The game was suspended.
Detain
Meaning: To hold back.
Example: They detained the group.
Retain (delay sense)
Meaning: To hold back something.
Example: He retained the information.
Block
Meaning: To stop progress.
Example: The road was blocked.
Obstruct
Meaning: To make progress difficult.
Example: Trees obstructed the path.
Hinder
Meaning: To slow progress.
Example: Rain hindered work.
Impede
Meaning: To make something harder or slower. Example: Noise impeded the study.
Delay
Meaning: To make something late.
Example: The flight was delayed.
Hold back
Meaning: To stop from moving forward.
Example: He held back the team.
Tarry
Meaning: To stay longer than needed.
Example: They tarried after dinner.
Loiter
Meaning: To stay without purpose.
Example: He loitered outside.
Prolong
Meaning: To make it longer in time.
Example: They prolonged the meeting.
Extend time
Meaning: To increase duration. Example: The deadline was extended.
Stretch out
Meaning: To make it longer.
Example: The talk was stretched out.
Draw out
Meaning: To make something longer.
Example: The process was drawn out.
Slow progress
Meaning: Less fast movement forward.
Example: Work showed slow progress.
Creep
Meaning: To move very slowly.
Example: Time crept by.
Drag on
Meaning: To continue slowly.
Example: The meeting dragged on.
Wait out
Meaning: To wait until something ends.
Example: They waited out the storm.
Hold off
Meaning: To delay action.
Example: They held off the decision.
Put off
Meaning: To delay something.
Example: The task was put off.
Defer
Meaning: To postpone.
Example: They deferred the plan.
Restrain (delay sense)
Meaning: To hold back action.
Example: He restrained his reply.
Check
Meaning: To slow down progress.
Example: Rules checked the speed.
Brake
Meaning: To slow or stop motion.
Example: He braked the car.
Slack off
Meaning: To reduce speed or effort.
Example: Work started to slack off.
Wind down
Meaning: To slow toward stopping.
Example: The day wound down.
Ease off
Meaning: To reduce pressure or speed.
Example: He eased off the gas.
Cool down
Meaning: To become less active.
Example: The argument cooled down.
Break pace
Meaning: To reduce speed.
Example: He broke his pace.
Lag
Meaning: To fall behind in speed.
Example: The system lagged.
Fall behind
Meaning: To be slower than others. Example: He fell behind in work.
Lose time
Meaning: To waste time.
Example: They lost time in traffic.
Waste time
Meaning: To use time badly.
Example: He wasted time waiting.
Kill time
Meaning: To pass time slowly.
Example: They killed time chatting.
Stretch time
Meaning: To make time feel longer.
Example: The wait stretched time.
Hold time
Meaning: To keep something waiting.
Example: They held time for updates.
Freeze time (figurative)
Meaning: To pause progress.
Example: The moment felt like frozen time.
Slow motion
Meaning: Very slow movement.
Example: The scene was in slow motion.
Reduce speed
Meaning: To go slower.
Example: The driver reduced speed.
Cut speed
Meaning: To make it slower.
Example: They cut the speed.
Ease pace
Meaning: To slow down the rhythm.
Example: He eased his pace.
Relax pace
Meaning: To slow down the pace.
Example: She relaxed her pace.
Hold pace
Meaning: To control speed.
Example: He held his pace.
Break rhythm
Meaning: To interrupt flow.
Example: Noise broke the rhythm.
Interrupt flow
Meaning: To stop smooth progress.
Example: Phone calls interrupted the flow.
Delay process
Meaning: To slow the progress of work.
Example: The weather delayed the process.
Slow process
Meaning: Make the process take more time.
Example: Errors slowed the process.
Extend process
Meaning: Make the process longer.
Example: Changes extended the process.
Postpone action
Meaning: Delay doing something.
Example: They postponed action.
Hold action
Meaning: Stop action temporarily.
Example: They held an action.
Suspend action
Meaning: Stop action for a time.
Example: Work was suspended.
Interrupt action
Meaning: Break the action flow.
Example: Alarm interrupted action.
Block action
Meaning: Stop action completely.
Example: Rules blocked action.
Restrict speed
Meaning: Limit speed.
Example: Laws restricted speed.
Control speed
Meaning: Manage how fast something moves.
Example: He controlled speed.
Moderate speed
Meaning: Keep speed balanced.
Example: She moderated speed.
Reduce pace
Meaning: Make pace slower.
Example: They reduced the pace.
Ease movement
Meaning: Move more slowly.
Example: He eased movement.
Slow movement
Meaning: Reduced movement speed.
Example: The movement slowed.
Delay progress
Meaning: Make progress late.
Example: Problems delayed progress.
Hinder progress
Meaning: Slow progress.
Example: Rain hindered progress.
Impede progress
Meaning: Block or slow progress.
Example: Rules impeded progress.
Block progress
Meaning: Stop progress.
Example: Barriers blocked progress.
Stop progress
Meaning: End movement forward.
Example: The issue stopped progress.
Conclusion
Delay or slowing down means making something take more time or reducing speed. These synonyms help explain that idea in many simple ways.
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