delay in response

USAGE SUMMARY

"delay in response" is correct and usable in written English.
You could use it when you want to express that someone took an unusually long amount of time to respond. For example, "I was surprised by the delay in response to my email."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

Many patients also thought that there were not enough nurses on duty all the time and this could partially be responsible for the delay in response to the call bell.

BMC Health Services Research

The fire commissioners argue that the delay in response time could jeopardize the life of its volunteers and the community.

The New York Times

Gamers might be more interested in latency, which is the delay in response between their device and a gaming server.

Princeton University

A one-second delay in response time at 60 miles an hour could be fatal, he noted.

The New York Times

Sterling's attorney, Maxwell Blecher, asked for a three-month delay in response to the charge, a person with knowledge of the situation said, confirming a report by SI.com.

The Guardian - Sport

The delay in response time means that people have lots of time to shape a response to achieve maximum impact, he said.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

9 human-written examples

This resulted in an individual response range, cropped according to the individual onset and offset of hemodynamic delay in responses of the auditory cortex.

Plosone

Listen for a subtle delay in responses to questions.

WikiHow

City officials have said those problems have not resulted in any delays in response times.

The New York Times

Expect light homework, deferrals, referrals or delays in response to a cold email asking to pick their brain.

The New York Times

But they said a finished version had been delayed in response to questions from the agency's acting director at the time, John E. McLaughlin.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing critical situations (e.g. medical emergencies, disaster relief), use "delay in response" to underscore the potential negative consequences of the tardiness.

Common error

Be careful not to use "delay in response" when there is a complete lack of response. "Delay" implies that a response eventually occurred, whereas no response at all suggests a different problem, like system failure or intentional ignorance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "delay in response" functions as a noun phrase, often acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes a period of time between a stimulus and the subsequent reaction. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

48%

News & Media

40%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "delay in response" is a commonly used noun phrase that describes a pause or tardiness in reaction or action. Ludwig AI identifies its correct grammatical standing. As evidenced by the numerous examples from Science, News & Media and Academia, it serves to highlight inefficiencies or potential issues arising from delayed reactions. When writing, be mindful of the context: the phrase is suitable for neutral to formal registers, and care should be taken to distinguish a true "delay" from a complete absence of response. Alternatives include "delayed reaction", "slow response time", and "tardiness in responding", which offer subtly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

delayed reaction

This alternative is shorter and more direct, focusing on the reaction itself being delayed.

tardiness in responding

This alternative uses "tardiness" to emphasize lateness or unpunctuality in the act of responding.

slow response time

This alternative focuses on the speed of the response, indicating it was slower than expected.

lag in reply

This alternative suggests a gap or interval before a reply is given.

protracted response

This alternative emphasizes the extended duration of the response.

hesitation in answering

This alternative indicates a pause due to uncertainty or reluctance before answering.

belated reply

This alternative emphasizes that the reply was late or delayed past the appropriate time.

pause before reacting

This alternative highlights a brief suspension of activity before a reaction occurs.

retardation in feedback

This alternative uses "retardation" to imply a slowing down of feedback, often in a technical or developmental context.

interruption in communication

This alternative broader term that refers to a temporary stop to communication.

FAQs

How can I use "delay in response" in a sentence?

You can use "delay in response" to describe situations where a reaction or answer is not immediate. For instance, "The "delay in response" from the emergency services was concerning."

What are some alternatives to saying "delay in response"?

Alternatives include "delayed reaction", "slow response time", or "tardiness in responding", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "delay in response" or "delayed response"?

Both "delay in response" and "delayed response" are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "Delay in response" refers to the time gap, while "delayed response" describes the response itself as being late. The best choice depends on the context.

What causes a "delay in response"?

A "delay in response" can be caused by various factors, such as technical issues, lack of resources, miscommunication, or intentional stalling. The specific cause depends on the context in which the "delay in response" occurs.