delay back and forth

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "delay back and forth" is not correct and may cause confusion in written English.
It seems to imply a repetitive action of delaying, but the wording is awkward and unclear. Example: "The negotiations seemed to delay back and forth without reaching a conclusion."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

A custom-made mechanical sliding mirror allows switching (220 ms delay) back and forth from fast to standard recordings automatically.

Biomedical Optics Express

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

And in a few instances, it took nearly all of the entire month because of delays between the back-and-forths.

TechCrunch

He said that many of the cases that take the longest are delayed by back and forth with the retiree as the OPM seeks further information it needs.

The Washington Post

"Adulthood is emailing 'sorry for the delayed response!' back and forth until one of you dies" – so the viral tweet goes.

The Guardian - Tech

adulthood is emailing "sorry for the delayed response!" back and forth until one of you dies.

Huffington Post

One half of the team is at work while the other is asleep, so solving an issue or collaborating on a problem means factoring in a time delay for that back and forth.

Forbes

The back-and-forth continues for weeks.

The New York Times

It's a back-and-forth conversation.

Los Angeles Times

This time I didn't rent a car, meaning I didn't have to deal with the rental cost, gas cost, parking and the delays in shuttling back and forth to the airport car rental area – usually at least $500 for the week and sometimes much more.

TechCrunch

After a 91-minute rain delay, the offenses fought back and forth, scoring run after run in an up-and-down affair in Philadelphia.

Wikipedia

This change has been implemented by CCGs and creates unnecessary delay, as the patient is going back and forth between GP and hospital.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "delay back and forth" as it's grammatically awkward. Instead, rephrase your sentence to clearly express the intended meaning, such as 'repeated delays' or 'wavering back and forth'.

Common error

A common mistake is to assume that simply combining the words 'delay' and 'back and forth' creates a coherent phrase. Ensure that the combination of words forms a logical and grammatically sound expression. Consider restructuring the sentence to clarify the relationship between the concepts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "delay back and forth" functions awkwardly as a description of iterative or reciprocal impediments. This construction is not standard English and lacks clear grammatical purpose. As Ludwig AI points out, this construction is not correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "delay back and forth" is not grammatically sound and may cause confusion. Ludwig AI identifies it as not being a correct phrase. While the individual words 'delay' and 'back and forth' are common, their combination lacks a clear, idiomatic meaning. It's crucial to rephrase your sentences for clarity, choosing alternatives like "repeated delays" or "wavering back and forth" to express the intended concept more effectively. When considering authoritative sources, focus on proper grammar and established phrases.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Repeated delays

Emphasizes the recurrence of delays rather than movement.

Alternating delays

Highlights the delays happening in turns.

Oscillating delays

Focuses on delays that vary in magnitude.

Successive delays

Underscores delays happening one after another.

Waver back and forth

Replaces 'delay' with 'waver' indicating indecision and movement.

Back-and-forth delays

Corrects the word order to better reflect an interaction between movement and delay.

Iterative delays

Highlights the delays happening in an iterative processes.

Reciprocal delays

Focuses on delays affecting each other.

Delays in both directions

Clarifies the presence of delays affecting movement in opposing directions.

Fluctuating delays

Highlights the delays changing randomly.

FAQs

Is "delay back and forth" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "delay back and forth" is grammatically awkward and not considered correct in standard English. It's better to use alternatives that clearly express the intended meaning.

What are some alternative ways to express the idea of iterative delays?

Consider using phrases like "repeated delays", "successive delays", or "iterative delays" to convey the concept more clearly.

How can I describe a situation where delays are affecting movement in opposing directions?

Instead of "delay back and forth", try phrases like "delays in both directions" or restructure the sentence to clarify the relationship between the delays and the movement.

What's the difference between "delay back and forth" and "waver back and forth"?

"Delay back and forth" is grammatically incorrect, while "waver back and forth" is a valid phrase that suggests indecision or fluctuation between two options.