ENGLISH
REFERENCE

lag

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɫæɡ// UK //lˈæɡ// lag Archaic Informal Slang

n. a delay between an action and the result you see on a screen. You usually notice this when your internet is slow or your computer is struggling to keep up.

n. a period of time between one event and another, specifically the delay between a user's input and the system's response. Common in digital contexts to describe latency in network communication or processing.


SIMPLE

I lost the game because of the lag.

CONTEXTUAL

The video call was difficult to follow because there was a three-second lag between the audio and the video.

COMPLEX

While the hardware is capable of rendering high-fidelity graphics, the network lag remains a significant barrier for players in regions with limited infrastructure.

Synonyms
Origin

Of unknown origin. Possibly of North Germanic origin.

Usage

Often used as an uncountable noun to describe the general phenomenon of slowness, but countable when referring to specific instances of delay.

© 2026 English Reference