a significant postponement

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a significant postponement" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a delay or rescheduling of an event or deadline that is considerable in nature. Example: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, there will be a significant postponement of the conference originally scheduled for next month."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

When he sold his listed investment funds recently, his stake in the bank fell by half, to 5percentt; he then received what appeared to be a significant postponement of the repayment schedule on a loan from a consortium of banks that includes Credit Suisse.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

But he adds: "In practice, the political momentum behind the programme is so strong that a further significant postponement does not appear likely".

The Guardian

The use of this checklist led to a significant decrease in process deviations and procedure postponements.

CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology

Today, environmentalists said that the shorter period of postponement, combined with interim measures designed to spur sales of low-emission cars like gasoline-electric hybrids, represented a significant victory.

The New York Times

The court date was a mere formality — a request for a postponement.

The New Yorker

The vote suffered from a surprise weeklong postponement and significant delays in the opening of polling stations.

Los Angeles Times

Despite the inclusion of 309 221 cases, only in two subgroups was a postponement statistically significant.

BMJ Open

But Indonesia's President Joko Widodo has insisted: "This is not a cancellation but a postponement".

BBC

Thus we could neither attribute a hastening nor a postponement of death around birthdays.

BMJ Open

This is a postponement, not a cancellation.

Unicef

"This is a postponement, not a cancellation," she affirmed.

Unicef

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a significant postponement" when you want to emphasize that the delay is substantial and impactful, not just a minor adjustment. It's suitable for formal contexts where precision is valued.

Common error

Avoid using "significant" simply as filler. Ensure that the postponement truly has notable consequences or duration to warrant the descriptor. Otherwise, a simpler term like "postponement" might suffice.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a significant postponement" functions as a noun phrase, where "significant" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "postponement". The indefinite article "a" indicates that it's one instance of such a delay. As Ludwig AI suggests, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase “a significant postponement” is a grammatically sound and usable expression, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, denoting a considerable delay or rescheduling of an event or deadline. Its primary function is to inform about an impactful delay, suitable for neutral to formal settings such as news reporting, business correspondence, and academic writing. While grammatically correct and found in reliable sources, this phrase is relatively rare. Alternatives such as ""a substantial delay"" or ""a major rescheduling"" may offer greater flexibility or nuance in certain contexts. When using "a significant postponement", ensure that the delay truly warrants the emphasis, avoiding overuse of "significant" as mere filler. It's best suited for scenarios where the delay carries considerable weight and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a substantial delay

Replaces "postponement" with "delay" and "significant" with "substantial", maintaining similar meaning but with a slightly different emphasis.

a major rescheduling

Focuses on the rescheduling aspect of the postponement, implying a large-scale change in plans.

a considerable deferral

Uses the more formal term "deferral" instead of "postponement", suggesting a more official or bureaucratic context.

a lengthy delay

Emphasizes the duration of the postponement, suggesting it is for a long period.

a prolonged suspension

Implies a temporary cessation of an activity or event for a notable amount of time.

a notable rescheduling

Substitutes "significant" with "notable", highlighting the importance or visibility of the change.

a remarkable delay

Uses "remarkable" to emphasize the unexpected or unusual nature of the postponement.

an extended adjournment

Replaces "postponement" with the formal "adjournment," often used in legal or meeting contexts, and highlights the length.

a considerable holdup

Uses the more informal "holdup" to describe the delay, suggesting an obstacle or impediment.

a major setback

Shifts the focus to the negative impact of the postponement, emphasizing the obstacle it presents.

FAQs

How can I use "a significant postponement" in a sentence?

You can use "a significant postponement" when referring to a delay that has important consequences. For example: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, there has been "a significant postponement" of the project deadline".

What's the difference between "a significant postponement" and "a minor delay"?

"A significant postponement" implies a delay that is substantial and impactful, while ""a minor delay"" suggests a short and relatively unimportant delay.

What can I say instead of "a significant postponement"?

You can use alternatives like "a substantial delay", "a major rescheduling", or "a considerable deferral" depending on the context.

Is "a significant postponement" formal or informal?

The phrase "a significant postponement" is generally considered formal and suitable for professional or academic contexts.