Word
tardy
US/ˈtɑɹdi/
UK/tˈɑːdi/
Definition
adj. arriving or doing something later than the planned time. You use this word to describe someone who is late for school, work, or a meeting.
adj. delayed beyond the expected or proper time; late. Often used in educational or professional contexts to describe attendance or performance.
Examples
“The student was tardy for his first class.”
“The manager noted that the employee was frequently tardy, often arriving ten minutes after the morning meeting had started.”
“While the report was eventually submitted, the tardy nature of the delivery meant the committee had little time to review the findings before the vote.”
Examples
simple
“The student was tardy for his first class.”
contextual
“The manager noted that the employee was frequently tardy, often arriving ten minutes after the morning meeting had started.”
complex
“While the report was eventually submitted, the tardy nature of the delivery meant the committee had little time to review the findings before the vote.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “tardy” in context.
Verb
01. become tardy
“The student had always been punctual but started to become tardy during the final term.”
verb + adj
02. remain tardy
“Despite several warnings, his response to urgent emails remained tardy.”
verb + adj
03. tardy in paying
“The agency is notoriously tardy in paying its freelance contractors.”
adj + prep + gerund
04. tardy in responding
“The company was tardy in responding to the customer's formal complaint.”
adj + prep + gerund
Adjective
05. fashionably tardy
“She arrived fashionably tardy to the party, ensuring everyone noticed her entrance.”
adv + adj
06. unusually tardy
“The train was unusually tardy today, causing a massive crowd on the platform.”
adv + adj
Noun
07. tardy arrival
“His tardy arrival at the meeting was noted by the department head.”
adj + noun
08. tardy response
“We apologize for the tardy response to your inquiry due to technical issues.”
adj + noun
09. be tardy for school
“Students who are tardy for school must report to the main office for a late pass.”
10. tardy in his duties
“The supervisor was criticized for being tardy in his duties regarding safety checks.”
Usage
Typically used predicatively after a linking verb like 'be' or 'become', or attributively before a noun.
Real-World Examples
“But while the actual Nobels can be notoriously tardy — awarded decades after major work — the Fields are conferred at the dawn of a mathematician’s career.” “In February, Pedri and Ferran Torres disclosed during an interview on the TV program El Hormiguero that instead of losing their starting position, players who were tardy now incur fine of40, ($46000; £35,000) if they are even 10 minutes late on matchday.” “Thanks to cellphones, BlackBerrys and other gadgets, too many of us have become blasé about being late. We have so many ways to relay a message that we're going to be tardy that we no longer feel” “When your significant other is tardy, you charm her by suggesting that one typically waits 15 minutes for a regular date, half an hour for a stunning beauty, and, well, 45 minutes for a goddess.” Etymology
Attested in the early 16th century, the term descends from an earlier form, tardive, by way of the French tardif. The lineage continues through the Late Latin tardīvus to the Latin root tardus, which denoted a certain sluggishness or lack of speed. While the ultimate origin of the Latin term remains obscure, the word arrived in English to describe a failure to appear at the appointed hour.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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