be delayed because of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be delayed because of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when explaining the reason for a delay in a process, event, or action. Example: "The project may be delayed because of unforeseen circumstances that arose last week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"This can't be delayed because of fear".

The New York Times

Today's ceremony had to be delayed because of illness.

The Guardian

Starting a family will be delayed because of paying back student loans.

The Washington Post

Repair of large VSDs should not be delayed because of these preoperative characteristics.

The Journal of Pediatrics

Christopher Pittman's trial, scheduled to begin this fall, may be delayed because of the illness of Mr. Justice, the prosecutor.

The New York Times

Mr. Abbas called elections for January, but they will be delayed because of the split with Gaza.

The New York Times

Chile's Emergency Office said the evacuation could last about 48 hours, but could be delayed because of heavy rains.

Independent

Delivery of paper documents, including reports of executive stock transactions, continues to be delayed because of security procedures, the agency said last week.

The New York Times

Even so, the commission said yesterday that a final report would still be delayed because of "the complexity of the issue" and the "workload involved".

The New York Times

At the hearing in Moscow, a judge refused a request by lawyers for Ms. Politkovskaya's family that the session be delayed because of Ms. Moskalenko's illness.

The New York Times

Plans to build eight (cut from 13) Type 26 frigates on Clydeside are likely to be delayed because of budget pressures, creating uncertainty about job losses.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "be delayed because of", ensure the reason for the delay is clearly and concisely stated to avoid ambiguity. For instance, instead of saying "The meeting will be delayed because of a conflict", specify "The meeting will "be delayed because of" a scheduling conflict with the CEO's presentation".

Common error

Avoid overuse of the passive voice when using "be delayed because of". Actively stating who or what caused the delay can make the sentence more direct and impactful. For example, instead of "The report will "be delayed because of" technical difficulties", consider "Technical difficulties will delay the report".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be delayed because of" functions as a causal connector, indicating that a particular event or action is being postponed or prolonged due to a specific reason. Ludwig AI confirms its usability across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "be delayed because of" is a grammatically sound and very commonly used causal connector. According to Ludwig AI, its primary function is to explain why something is being postponed, with the reason following the phrase. While suitable for various contexts, it appears most frequently in news and media, science, and academic writing. For more formal contexts, alternatives like "be postponed due to" may be preferred. As a writing tip, ensure the reason is clear and avoid overuse of passive voice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be postponed due to

Replaces "delayed" with "postponed" and "because of" with "due to", emphasizing a formal rescheduling.

be held up by

Substitutes "delayed" with "held up", indicating an obstruction or hindrance causing the delay.

be put off due to

Uses "put off" instead of "delayed", implying a temporary suspension or rescheduling.

be set back by

Replaces "delayed" with "set back", indicating a setback or impediment that caused the delay.

experience a setback due to

Describes the delay as a setback, emphasizing the negative impact of the cause.

be impacted by delays in

Focuses on the impact of existing delays, rather than directly stating a delay.

encounter delays as a result of

Highlights encountering delays due to a specific cause, adding a narrative element.

be affected by

Generalizes the delay as an effect of something, broadening the context.

face rescheduling because of

Emphasizes the need for rescheduling due to the identified cause of the delay.

be disrupted by

Focuses on the disruption caused, rather than the delay itself.

FAQs

How can I use "be delayed because of" in a sentence?

Use "be delayed because of" to explain why something is being postponed or held back. For instance, "The project will "be delayed because of" unforeseen circumstances" or "The flight will "be delayed because of" bad weather".

What are some alternatives to "be delayed because of"?

You can use phrases like "be postponed due to", "be held up by", or "be put off due to" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to use "due to" or "because of"?

Both "due to" and "because of" are acceptable, but "because of" is generally considered more informal. "Due to" is often preferred in more formal writing. For example, "The delay was "due to" unforeseen circumstances" sounds more formal than "The delay was "be delayed because of" unforeseen circumstances".

Can "be delayed because of" be used at the beginning of a sentence?

While grammatically correct, starting a sentence with "be delayed because of" can sound awkward. It's generally better to restructure the sentence to place the reason after the subject and verb. For example, instead of ""Be delayed because of" weather conditions, the flight was cancelled", a better construction is "The flight was "be delayed because of" weather conditions".