lag 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of lagnext
as in final
following all others of the same kind in order or time we're now in the lag end of the project

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lag

2 of 3

verb

1
as in to fade
to lose bodily strength or vigor during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to delay
to move or act slowly the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lag

3 of 3

noun

as in slowdown

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word lag different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of lag are dally, dawdle, delay, loiter, and procrastinate. While all these words mean "to move or act slowly so as to fall behind," lag implies failure to maintain a speed set by others.

lagging behind in technology

When might dally be a better fit than lag?

Although the words dally and lag have much in common, dally suggests delay through trifling or vacillation when promptness is necessary.

stop dallying and get to work

When is delay a more appropriate choice than lag?

In some situations, the words delay and lag are roughly equivalent. However, delay usually implies a putting off of something (such as a beginning or departure).

we cannot delay any longer

How do loiter and dawdle relate to one another, in the sense of lag?

Both loiter and dawdle imply delay while in progress, especially in walking, but dawdle more clearly suggests an aimless wasting of time.

loitered at several store windows
children dawdling on their way home from school

In what contexts can procrastinate take the place of lag?

While in some cases nearly identical to lag, procrastinate implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy.

procrastinates about making decisions

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 lag
Adjective
With Baja mode activated, the twin-turbo V-6 engages the turbochargers' anti-lag function, and there's negligible delay in the power delivery during the quick on/off throttle sequences common to desert running. —David Beard, Car and Driver, 20 June 2022 And some more good news for lovers of the distinctive fusillade produced by the original Impreza rally cars: this one keeps anti-lag, injecting fuel into the turbocharger to keep it spinning off-throttle. —Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 21 June 2022
Verb
Park attendance lagged over the next several years, largely due to competition from other entertainment venues and more Kansas Citians traveling by automobile to vacation destinations. —Jeremy Drouin, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2025 Productivity was lagging even before Brexit, but the rupture with Europe compounded the problem by sowing uncertainty, which chilled private investment. —Mark Landler, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
Phenom said the goal of these insights is to reduce the lag in collection and communication of feedback informing HR and overall business strategy. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025 First, there’s a lag between wholesale and retail prices – retail prices often take weeks to adjust because stores sell inventory purchased at higher wholesale costs. —Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lag
  1. final
  2. fade
  3. delay
  4. slowdown
  5. latest
  6. sag
  7. drag
  8. hesitation
Adjective
  • These concerns appeared to strike a chord—at least in part—with U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken, who brought up the issue several times during this week’s fairness hearing over whether to grant the settlement’s final approval.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 11 Apr. 2025
  • For Liv in particular, their idea of what that final ride on the plane was going to be was an emotional one.
    — Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of final
Verb
  • Curiosity fades fast when people don’t feel safe to use it.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • As the skin became more brittle, the hair fell out and the fatty layer beneath began to show more through the years, the white color faded, researchers said.
    — Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of fade
Verb
  • There's also great uncertainty as Trump seeks negotiations with China and begins talks with other counties whose larger tariffs were delayed by 90 days.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Funds should go out within 30 days of the final approval hearing on July 17, 2025, but they may be delayed by appeals or injunctions.
    — Ryley Amond, CNBC, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of delay
Noun
  • In a release, MTI said the growth slowdown was due to declines in manufacturing, as well as some services sectors such as finance and insurance.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Level design is varied and intriguing, supercharged by power-ups and made easier with a slowdown feature, giving you time to breathe or respond to on-screen madness at the expense of your final score.
    — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of slowdown
Adjective
  • The shooting happened the day before the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that killed 17 and is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S.
    — Joey Cappelletti and Mike Householder, Anchorage Daily News, 15 Feb. 2023
  • The video is the latest in a lengthy stream of controversies the probation department has faced in recent years.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2023
Definition of latest
Verb
  • Here, a patchy pattern of material with that same high seismic velocity sagged to a depth of nearly 600 kilometers, almost to the lower mantle.
    — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The production sagged to .214/.239/.312 the next year, leading the Guardians to waive him after the season.
    — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of sag
Verb
  • Paleontologists used to wonder if some marine reptiles did the same, awkwardly dragging themselves onto beaches to lay eggs rather than birthing their young at sea like whales do.
    — Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2025
  • The longer the trade war drags on, the more likely Washington and Beijing will find other ways to retaliate beyond economics.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Definition of drag
Noun
  • The source of hesitation is President Trump’s latest tariffs, which, as announced earlier this month, included a 46% tax on imports from Vietnam, the country’s eighth-largest trading partner.
    — Stephanie Yang, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Studies show that financial trauma can lead to avoidance behaviors, chronic underinvestment, and hesitation in wealth-building strategies even among women who appear financially stable on paper.
    — Alejandra Rojas, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of hesitation

Browse Nearby Words

ladyships
lag
laggard
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lag. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on lag

Nglish: Translation of lag for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

'Blue Moon,' 'Wolf Moon,' and Other Moons to Look for Throughout the Year

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name that thing flower edition
Name That Flower Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a...
See All