a serious delay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a serious delay" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a significant or important postponement in various contexts, such as travel, project timelines, or events. Example: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, there was a serious delay in the delivery of the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

I don't think this will be a serious delay".

The New York Times

An adviser to the Governing Council, Claude Hankesaidielsma, said Friday in a interview from Baghdad that those actions had resulted in "a serious delay in the inquiry".

The New York Times

His experience, complicated by a serious delay in diagnosis, is a powerful reminder that strokes can and do happen to young people.

The New York Times

Food stored in warehouses here was distributed over the weekend for the first time since the start of the war -- a serious delay caused by holdups with a ministry check.

The New York Times

But without newborn screening, an affected baby is often subjected to countless tests once symptoms develop, leading to a serious delay in diagnosis and effective treatment and resulting in permanent harm.

The New York Times - Health

But a serious delay would be bad news for Sony, and since it would prolong the transition to the next generation for the $33-billion 33-billions industry as a whole.Sony is betting on the technologically ambitious PlayStation 3 to do more than just continue its profitable dominance of the games industry.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

There have been worries that any serious delay might play havoc with England's travel arrangements.

The Guardian - Sport

And the devices are too similar to others out there to cause any serious delay in their approval.

TechCrunch

The uTP protocol is an extension of the bittorrent protocol, and essentially times packets being transferred and calculates if there is any serious delay.

TechCrunch

As a result, serious delays affected the recognition of methylmercury as a cause of serious human poisonings in Minamata, Japan.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Unless you're facing a serious flight delay and lack of international currency there's very little reason for someone to sit leafing through the pages of their passport staring at the pictures.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a serious delay", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being delayed and the potential consequences of that delay.

Common error

Avoid using "a serious delay" when a minor inconvenience is more accurate. Overusing strong language can diminish the actual impact when describing truly significant delays.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a serious delay" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. As Ludwig AI confirms, it describes an important postponement, emphasizing the impact of the delay on the overall situation.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a serious delay" is a noun phrase used to describe a significant postponement, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It's frequently found in news reports, scientific publications, and business communications, denoting a neutral register. The phrase serves to emphasize the gravity of a delay and its potential consequences, encouraging attention to the matter. While generally correct, overuse or application in trivial circumstances should be avoided. Alternatives include "a significant postponement" or "a major setback", offering variations in emphasis. Examples from Ludwig showcase how "a serious delay" is deployed to signal an impactful interruption to progress.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant postponement

Emphasizes the importance of the delay.

a major setback

Highlights the negative impact of the delay.

a considerable holdup

Suggests the delay is substantial and possibly unexpected.

a substantial impediment

Focuses on the hindering aspect of the delay, implying progress is blocked.

a critical disruption

Indicates the delay is causing significant interruptions.

a marked deceleration

Emphasizes the slowing down of progress due to the delay.

a prolonged deferment

Suggests the delay is extended and ongoing.

a grave interruption

Stresses the severity and impact of the delay.

a notable standstill

Highlights a complete cessation of progress because of the delay.

a weighty protraction

Emphasizes the burdensome and extended nature of the delay.

FAQs

How can I effectively use "a serious delay" in a sentence?

Use "a serious delay" to emphasize the significance of a postponement, clearly stating what is delayed and the impact. For example, "The project faced "a serious delay" due to unforeseen circumstances."

What are some alternatives to "a serious delay" that I could use?

Consider using alternatives such as "a significant postponement", "a major setback", or "a considerable holdup" depending on the specific context and nuance you wish to convey.

Is there a difference between "a serious delay" and "a slight delay"?

"A serious delay" indicates a significant and impactful postponement, while "a slight delay" suggests a minor and less consequential one. The choice depends on the actual extent and impact of the delay.

When is it appropriate to use "a serious delay" instead of "a problem"?

Use "a serious delay" when you want to specifically highlight that progress or completion is being held up. "A problem" is a more general term for any issue, whereas "a serious delay" directly addresses the element of time and postponement.