a long delayed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a long delayed" is not correct in standard English.
The correct form would be "a long-delayed" with a hyphen, which is used to describe something that has been postponed for a significant amount of time. Example: "The long-delayed project finally received funding after years of waiting."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

I started this journey more than 10 years ago, inspired by a long, delayed rite of passage training.

The Guardian

Travolta plays Terl (which for some reason rhymes with "Darrel"), a Psychlo security officer on Earth awaiting a long delayed promotion as he enslaves humankind.

Vice

Qatar last month introduced a long delayed wage protection system that requires businesses to pay workers on time by direct bank deposits.

Huffington Post

Alternative end-points are required for therapies with a long delayed effect.

European Journal of Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

"There's usually a long-delayed payout, but in this case the check came the next day via Fed-Ex".

The New York Times

So this is a long-delayed apology.

The New York Times

Nato itself should also undertake a long-delayed transformation.

The Guardian - Opinion

Seldom has a long-delayed journey been so ill-timed.

The New York Times

A long-delayed infrastructure programme is finally under way.

The Economist

And a long-delayed Nirvana boxed set of CD's is in the works.

The New York Times

The Newish Season What a long-delayed and strange television season it has been.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the hyphenated form "long-delayed" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity.

Common error

Remember to hyphenate "long" and "delayed" when they act as a compound adjective before a noun. Without the hyphen, the phrase can be misinterpreted.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a long delayed" functions as a descriptive phrase intended to modify a noun. However, it is grammatically questionable without a hyphen. Ludwig AI suggests the hyphenated form or alternatives for improved clarity and correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Reference

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a long delayed" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "a long-delayed", using a hyphen to create a compound adjective. While some sources, as shown by Ludwig, do use the unhyphenated form, it is advisable to use the hyphenated version for clarity and grammatical correctness, especially in formal writing. Alternatives like "a long-awaited" or "a much-delayed" may also be suitable depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a much-delayed

This is the grammatically correct form, using a hyphen to link the adjectives.

a very belated

Stresses that something is happening much later than it should have.

a protracted delay

Emphasizes the extended duration of the delay.

a remarkably late

Similar to belated, highlighting the unexpected lateness.

a significantly postponed

Highlights the importance and extent of the postponement.

a long-awaited

Conveys anticipation for something that has been delayed.

a greatly deferred

Focuses on the action of delaying or postponing to a later time.

a significantly overdue

Highlights that something is past its expected time.

a considerably extended

Underscores the lengthening of the duration.

a substantially adjourned

Implies a formal postponement to a later date.

FAQs

Is "a long delayed" grammatically correct?

No, the grammatically correct form is "a long-delayed". The hyphen connects "long" and "delayed" when they function as a compound adjective.

What does "a long-delayed" mean?

It describes something that has been postponed or has taken much longer than expected to occur.

What can I say instead of "a long delayed"?

You can use alternatives like "a long-awaited", "a much-delayed", or "a very belated" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "a long delayed" and "a long-delayed"?

"A long delayed" is grammatically incorrect. "A long-delayed" uses a hyphen to create a compound adjective, correctly describing something significantly postponed.