# delaying

/dɪˈɫeɪɪŋ/ (US) · /dɪlˈeɪɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/delaying
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 2. the act of waiting

noun · CEFR B2

the act of waiting or making a process take longer.

For teachers: the gerund form used as a noun to describe the process or instance of postponement.

- Delaying the decision will only make the problem worse.
- Constant delaying of the infrastructure project has led to a significant increase in the total estimated cost.

### 3. causing a wait

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

used to describe something that is intended to slow things down.

For teachers: functioning as an attributive adjective to describe tactics, mechanisms, or factors that cause a postponement.

- The lawyer used delaying tactics to give his client more time.
- The opposition party employed various delaying maneuvers to prevent the bill from reaching a final vote this session.

## Examples

- The flight is delaying due to bad weather.
- We are waiting for the delaying report before making a final decision.
- The committee cited the delaying factors as primary reasons for the extended timeline, noting that administrative bottlenecks often slow progress more than technical challenges.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.