delay momentarily

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "delay momentarily" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when indicating a brief pause or postponement in an action or event. Example: "We will need to delay momentarily to allow for the technical difficulties to be resolved."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

A short rain delay momentarily had Rudolph stuck on 99 not out but following the resumption of play, which saw the match reduced to 47 overs per side, the left-handed batsman completed his second century of the tournament off 121 balls.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

But unfortunately, because of the delay, it then momentarily drowned out the postlude, a magnificent performance of Bach's "St.

The New York Times - Arts

Air attacks by the Iraqi government or military moves by foreign powers such as Iran or the United States will momentarily delay the expansion of ISIS-controlled areas.

Huffington Post

[New York Post] Flights out of La Guardia Airport were momentarily delayed when a 30-pound Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy named Byrdie ran onto the runway.

The New York Times

The rehearsal, however, was momentarily delayed.

Los Angeles Times

The event, being held above the Arctic Circle, was momentarily delayed to clear ice from the race course.

Los Angeles Times

A power outage lasting about six minutes on Thursday at SAP Center just before the Kings and Sharks were to take the ice for their pregame warmup momentarily delayed proceedings.

Los Angeles Times

But that only delayed the second goal momentarily, as Wanyama rose to head past the keeper from the corner that followed.

BBC

By and large, delay effects split the signal into two identical signals and momentarily hold back one while allowing the other to play in real time.

WikiHow

While she said the dog gave an Alaska Airlines pilot reason to pause momentarily, she said, "It didn't cause any flight delays". Burghdorf said this is not the first dog to get onto the grounds.

Los Angeles Times

Alternatively, since the PH domain of the PLC-δ1 also binds to InsP3 [33], RFP-PH might have momentarily buffered the uncaged or synthesized InsP3 and consequently delayed the Ca2+ response.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "delay momentarily" when you want to emphasize a very short, almost negligible pause. For longer delays, consider using "delay briefly" or "postpone temporarily".

Common error

Avoid using "momentarily" excessively, as it can sound repetitive. Vary your vocabulary by using synonyms like "briefly", "for a moment", or restructuring your sentence for better flow.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "delay momentarily" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to indicate the duration of the delay. Ludwig provides examples where it modifies actions such as "delayed proceedings" or "delay the expansion".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "delay momentarily" is a grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to indicate a very brief pause or postponement. Ludwig's analysis reveals that it is most frequently found in news and media contexts, with a neutral to formal register. While alternatives like "briefly postpone" or "pause briefly" exist, "delay momentarily" offers a specific emphasis on the brevity of the interruption. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is suitable for use in written English when precision in timing is important. However, it is important to use this expression with parsimony, as overusing it may sound verbose.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

briefly postpone

Emphasizes the brevity of the postponement more directly.

pause briefly

Focuses on a short interruption rather than a delay.

hold briefly

Similar to pause, but can also imply maintaining a state temporarily.

interrupt briefly

Highlights the interruption aspect of the delay.

suspend temporarily

Suggests a more formal or official pause.

halt briefly

Implies a sudden and short stop.

table briefly

Often used in formal settings to postpone discussion.

put off for a moment

More conversational way to express a short delay.

defer briefly

Formal way to postpone something to a later time.

shelve temporarily

Suggests the delay might be longer, but still temporary.

FAQs

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

You can use "delay momentarily" to indicate a brief pause or postponement, such as: "We will need to "delay momentarily" to resolve technical difficulties."

What are some alternatives to "delay momentarily"?

Alternatives include "briefly postpone", "pause briefly", or "interrupt briefly", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "delay momentarily" or "delay briefly"?

"Delay momentarily" emphasizes a very short pause, while "delay briefly" implies a slightly longer, though still short, delay. The better choice depends on the specific context.

What's the difference between "delay momentarily" and "postpone indefinitely"?

"Delay momentarily" indicates a very short pause, while "postpone indefinitely" means the action is delayed with no specific resumption time planned.