delay it temporarily

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "delay it temporarily" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to postponing an action or event for a short period of time. Example: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will need to delay it temporarily until we can gather more information."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The protesters did their job, interrupting the lecture by pulling the fire alarm and delaying it temporarily.

Vice

The company also says the government properly reviewed the project and was wrong to temporarily delay it last year. .

Huffington Post

For less than one week, while the agency reassessed funding for the remainder of the fiscal year - which ends Sept. 30 - it temporarily delayed scheduling September hearings that would require travel costs or medical-vocational expenditures.

The New York Times

Beijing also seemed happy to delay its entry at least temporarily to win additional time to prepare for the impending changes.

Los Angeles Times

That would avoid even a technical default, which is a short-term, nonpermanent default that could occur if the government had to delay some payments temporarily while it wrapped up a budget deal.

The New York Times

Wyeth on Thursday said it has temporarily delayed shipping its Prevnar vaccine against childhood pneumococcal infections because of the need to upgrade company quality-control processes.

Forbes

At that point, play was called for the weather delay, which temporarily broke Woods's momentum.

The New York Times - Sports

For federal student loans, students may be eligible to receive a deferment or forbearance, provisions that delay or temporarily reduce monthly repayments.

The New York Times

This delay involves temporarily replacing bound variables (variables within the scope of an existential or universal quantifying expression, as in "some x is... .. and "any x is... ..) by uninterpreted "dummy" symbols.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The San Francisco Chronicle first published the story on Monday after spotting the Department of Homeland Security's official notice that it has temporarily delayed the effective date of the International Entrepreneur Rule., a policy set to begin on July 17.

Forbes

Mr DeLay "temporarily" stepped down from the post last September after corruption charges were brought against him in Texas.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "delay it temporarily", ensure the context clearly indicates when and how the delay will be resolved. This helps avoid confusion and maintains transparency.

Common error

Avoid using "delay it temporarily" when the delay is expected to be lengthy or indefinite. This phrase suggests a short-term postponement, so choose a more appropriate term if the delay is substantial.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "delay it temporarily" functions as a verb phrase with an adverb, indicating an action (delaying) and modifying it to specify the duration (temporarily). According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "delay it temporarily" is a grammatically correct way to express a short-term postponement. While Ludwig AI confirms its usability, its frequency is currently very low. Alternative phrases such as "postpone it briefly" or "suspend it for a while" may be considered depending on the context and desired level of formality. When using "delay it temporarily", clarity regarding the delay's resolution is crucial.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

postpone it briefly

Replaces "delay" with "postpone" and "temporarily" with "briefly", keeping the meaning nearly identical.

suspend it for a while

Uses "suspend" instead of "delay" and "for a while" instead of "temporarily", indicating a pause rather than a delay.

put it on hold temporarily

Replaces "delay" with "put on hold", a more idiomatic expression, while retaining "temporarily".

hold it back for the moment

Employs "hold it back" instead of "delay it", suggesting a more forceful withholding.

defer it for the time being

Substitutes "delay" with "defer", which is more formal, and "temporarily" with "for the time being".

shelve it temporarily

Uses "shelve" instead of "delay", implying a putting aside until a later date.

adjourn it briefly

Replaces "delay" with "adjourn", which suggests a formal suspension, often in a meeting context.

table it for now

Uses "table" instead of "delay", indicating the item is set aside for future consideration.

pause it for the interim

Replaces "delay" with "pause" and "temporarily" with "for the interim", suggesting a break.

stall it for a short period

Employs "stall" instead of "delay", indicating an attempt to gain time, and replaces "temporarily" with "for a short period".

FAQs

How can I rephrase "delay it temporarily" for a more formal tone?

For a more formal tone, you could use phrases like "defer it for the time being" or "suspend it briefly". These options often sound more professional in written communication.

What's the difference between "delay it temporarily" and "cancel it"?

"Delay it temporarily" means to postpone something for a short period, with the expectation that it will eventually occur. "Cancel it" means to completely discontinue or abandon something.

Is it redundant to say "delay it temporarily"? Can't 'delay' already imply it's not permanent?

While "delay" often implies a temporary pause, adding "temporarily" emphasizes the short-term nature of the postponement. It can be useful for clarity, especially when there might be uncertainty about the duration of the delay.

What are some situations where I might need to "delay it temporarily"?

You might need to "delay it temporarily" due to unforeseen circumstances, technical difficulties, or pending approvals. It's commonly used when a short-term postponement is necessary to ensure the successful completion of a task or event.