Delayed

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "delayed" is a correct and commonly used word in written English.
It means to be behind schedule or to occur at a later time than expected. Example: "The flight was delayed due to bad weather conditions." In this sentence, "delayed" is used to describe the flight being behind schedule because of bad weather. Other examples of when to use "delayed" in written English could be describing a delayed arrival of a package or a delayed start time for an event.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Scheduled to make the 1,492km 9277 miles) journey every day except Christmas Day, the A320 plane has seen passengers delayed for as little as two minutes and as long as 12 hours and 18 minutes.

The Guardian - Money

The federal appeals court in Atlanta ordered that the execution should be delayed for at least 30 days, while a Georgia court of appeals imposed its own stay to give the courts more time to consider the propriety of the single lethal injection as a method of killing.

The Guardian

Mayhem!!" Precious tweeted: "Complete chaos at Clapham Junction this morning as trains are delayed left, right and centre.

The Guardian

Related: World Health Organisation 'intentionally delayed declaring Ebola emergency' As of 18 March, the death toll from Ebola in west Africa was 10,251, with one new case on Friday in Liberia breaking the country's 42-day countdown to Ebola-free status.

The Guardian

Does he know anyone who has delayed going to the doctor or chosen not to because of concerns about how much it will cost?

The Guardian

The pre-Christmas Mandelson crisis and the fight over the Euro-elections bill delayed the announcement, Mr Ashdown concedes.

The Guardian

The SNP appeared to be the party in disarray throughout the day, as Salmond repeatedly delayed a press conference at the first minister's official residence at Bute House.

The Guardian

There are only 110 beds in Freetown for Ebola patients and with the disease out of control in the capital, with almost 1,000 cases already confirmed, it is vital the unit's opening is not delayed.

The Guardian

Network Rail said: "We apologise to passengers whose journeys have been delayed this morning as a result of a track circuit defect just outside the Haywards Heath area.

The Guardian

But he also seemed to confirm that the broadcast had been delayed.

The Guardian

"Platoons would need to transmit their status to the intersection and the signal change would need to be advanced or delayed to treat the platoon as a single long vehicle," said Alan Stevens, chief scientist and research director at transport firm TRL.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "Delayed", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being delayed and the reason for the delay. For example, "The flight was delayed due to inclement weather."

Common error

Avoid vague statements about delays without specifying the cause. Instead of saying "The project is delayed", provide specific reasons like "The project is delayed due to unforeseen technical challenges".

Linguistic Context

The word "Delayed" primarily functions as a past participle, often used adjectivally to describe something that has been postponed or held up. Ludwig provides numerous examples illustrating this usage, such as "passengers delayed" or "delayed delivery".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Delayed" is a very common past participle functioning primarily to indicate that something has been postponed or is behind schedule. As Ludwig AI confirms, the word follows standard grammar rules and is widely used across various contexts, particularly in news, business, and scientific domains. The provided examples from Ludwig illustrate its versatile application, ranging from describing flight delays to postponed projects. Understanding the contexts and potential causes of delays is key to using the word effectively. While synonyms like "postponed" or "rescheduled" can be used, it's important to consider the specific nuance each word brings to the sentence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Postponed

Indicates a decision to reschedule an event to a later time, often with a specific new date.

Defered

Formally postpone or delay

Put off

Implies a more informal postponement, often due to reluctance or inconvenience.

Rescheduled

Specifically refers to changing the scheduled time of an event or activity.

Held up

Suggests a delay caused by an obstruction or unexpected event.

Detained

Often refers to a delay caused by being kept in custody or prevented from proceeding.

Shelved

Put aside or postpone indefinitely

Prolonged

Indicates something being extended in duration, often beyond the expected or desired time.

Retarded

Implies a slowing down or hindering of progress, often used in technical contexts.

Slowed down

A more general term for a reduction in speed or progress.

FAQs

How can I use "Delayed" in a sentence?

You can use "Delayed" to describe something that is behind schedule. For example, "The shipment was delayed due to customs inspections".

What are some alternatives to the word "Delayed"?

Alternatives include "postponed", "rescheduled", or "held up" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "The delayed train" or "The train was delayed"?

Both are correct. "The delayed train" uses "delayed" as an adjective, while "The train was delayed" uses it as a verb in the passive voice.

What is the difference between "Delayed" and "Postponed"?

"Delayed" generally refers to a temporary setback, while "postponed" implies a more formal or indefinite rescheduling.