after a significant delay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "after a significant delay" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where something occurs following a notable period of waiting or postponement. Example: "The project was finally completed after a significant delay due to unforeseen circumstances."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Monthly admissions numbers (actual bums on seats) always arrive after a significant delay, and the ones for July were recently released: 14.32 million.

The Guardian - Film

While Day was able to get up after a significant delay and medical attention and close out a round of even-par 70, he was in obvious distress.

The Guardian

Most resolve issues only after a significant delay (37%), try but fail to resolve them (10%), or don't address them at all (12%).

Harvard Business Review

The failure to coordinate also leads to conflicts between functions and units, and these are handled badly two times out of three resolved after a significant delay (38% of the time), resolved quickly but poorly (14%), or simply left to fester (12%).

Harvard Business Review

In another example a complainant whose father had died received, after a significant delay, a substantive response in which the deceased's name was incorrectly spelt".

BBC

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) has recently (October 2015) been implemented in the United States in its 10th revision (ICD-10) after a significant delay (> 25 years) [1] and with high anxiety [2] reminding us of the Y2K panic.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

One study found a significantly shorter mean TTC of 12.6 days after IBR, four studies found a significant delay after IBR averaging 6.6 16.8 days, seven studies found no significant difference in TTC between IBR and mastectomy only, and two studies did not perform statistical analyses for comparison.

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Dunlop and Quinlivan examined the effect of repeated injections of corticosteroids on the development of the optic nerve and reported a disrupted retinal development that persisited days after cessation of treatment and a significant delay in the myelination of the optic axons and thinning of the retina [ 15, 16].

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

One week after the third administration (day 21), a significant delay in tumor growth was observed in CHC001PDX mice treated with ET-743 (p = 0.04, Figure  2A).

BMC Cancer

In states where EMS personnel are not allowed to provide care after entering a hospital, AOD could represent a significant delay in patient care.

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

The improvement in proteostasis is functionally important, as we also measured a significant delay in paralysis after exposure to 1000 ppm O2 in YFP polyQ40 animals raised in H2S relative to untreated controls (Fig. 6C).

Aging Cell

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "after a significant delay" when you want to emphasize that the delay was substantial and had a noticeable impact. This phrase adds weight to the fact that something was not just late, but considerably so.

Common error

While "after a significant delay" is grammatically correct, it can sound overly formal in casual conversations. Consider using simpler alternatives like "much later" or "after a long wait" for everyday situations to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "after a significant delay" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause by indicating when an action occurred. It specifies the timing of an event in relation to a preceding delay. Ludwig AI confirms its correct grammatical structure.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

29%

News & Media

29%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Wiki

14%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "after a significant delay" is a grammatically correct and useful way to describe events that happen considerably later than expected. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is appropriate for use in formal writing, news reports, and professional contexts where emphasizing the extent and impact of a delay is important. While versatile, it's best to consider more casual alternatives, like "much later", in everyday conversation. Its frequency is currently uncommon, appearing across diverse domains, including science, news media, and formal business settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

following a considerable postponement

Emphasizes the act of postponing and the extent of the delay.

subsequent to a notable waiting period

Highlights the period of waiting that preceded the event.

eventually, after a protracted interval

Focuses on the eventual occurrence after a long period.

later than anticipated

Simple and direct way to express something happening later.

with undue lateness

Emphasizes the inappropriateness of the delay.

after a long drawn-out interval

Stresses the tedious and prolonged nature of the delay.

following an extended holdup

Uses a more informal term 'holdup' to describe the delay.

in the end, following a substantial deferment

Highlights the ultimate occurrence after a formal postponement.

after a considerable lapse of time

Focuses on the time that has passed before the event.

down the line, after a noteworthy delay

Uses the expression "down the line" to indicate a later point in time.

FAQs

What does "after a significant delay" mean?

The phrase "after a significant delay" means that something happened later than expected, with the delay being substantial or noteworthy.

When should I use "after a significant delay"?

Use "after a significant delay" when you want to emphasize that the delay was considerable and had a noticeable impact. It's suitable for formal writing and discussions where precision is important.

What are some alternatives to "after a significant delay"?

You can use alternatives like "following a considerable postponement", "later than anticipated", or "with undue lateness" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "following a significant delay" instead of "after a significant delay"?

Yes, "following a significant delay" is a valid alternative. Both phrases convey a similar meaning, but "following" might imply a more direct consequence of the delay.