delay payment

USAGE SUMMARY

'delay payment' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a payment that was intended to be made on a certain date, but is delayed to a later time. For example: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, we must delay payment for the next month."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

"I already told the village I'm going to have to delay payment again".

The New York Times

BP could fight such claims in court to try to reduce punitive damages — and delay payment.

The New York Times

However, students may request a "deferment" for up to six months post graduation to delay payment.

Yale University

Given the court order, was it justified for the Respondent to delay payment?

Columbia University

"I'm just asking her if I can delay payment," he said.

The New York Times

But Dubai World's recent decision to delay payment on its debt has brought the crisis to reality for complacent bondholders.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

9 human-written examples

Exporters told their customers to delay payments.

The Economist

Some of its key points are: Retailers must not vary supply agreements retrospectively, or delay payments.

The Guardian

They only delay payments to disabled citizens who rely on the monthly benefits".

The New York Times

Tokyo has agreed, however, to delay payments on about $500 million in Pakistani debt.

The New York Times

The U.A.W. recently agreed to let G.M. delay payments to the fund.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When communicating a "delay payment", always provide a clear reason for the delay and propose a new payment date to maintain transparency and trust with the payee.

Common error

Never assume that a "delay payment" is implicitly acceptable. Always proactively communicate the delay, explain the reason, and propose a revised payment schedule to avoid misunderstandings and maintain good business relations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "delay payment" functions primarily as a verb phrase, where "delay" acts as a transitive verb taking "payment" as its direct object. Ludwig examples confirm this usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Science

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "delay payment" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to describe the postponement of a payment. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's applicable across various registers and contexts, with frequent occurrences in news, academic, and scientific domains. When using the phrase, it's best practice to communicate the reason for the delay and propose a new payment date. Related phrases include "defer payment" and "postpone payment", offering alternative ways to convey a similar meaning. Avoiding assumptions about acceptance and proactively communicating are key to using the phrase effectively. Authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian frequently employ this expression, further validating its widespread acceptance and use.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Postpone payment

Replaces "delay" with "postpone", maintaining the core meaning of putting off the payment.

Defer payment

Substitutes "delay" with "defer", indicating a formal postponement of the payment.

Hold off on payment

Uses a phrasal verb to convey the idea of temporarily stopping or delaying the payment.

Put off payment

Similar to "hold off on payment", but uses a different phrasal verb with the same meaning.

Extend payment terms

Focuses on altering the agreed-upon conditions for payment, resulting in a delay.

Reschedule payment

Highlights the act of changing the payment's date to a later time.

Adjourn payment

Offers a more formal synonym for delaying, implying a temporary suspension of the payment.

Suspend payment

Emphasizes a temporary halt to the payment process.

Table payment

A more informal way of saying to postpone or defer the payment for later consideration.

Put payment on hold

Indicates placing the payment in a state of temporary suspension.

FAQs

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

You can use "delay payment" to describe a situation where a payment is postponed. For example, "Due to budget constraints, we have to delay payment until next month."

What's a formal way to say "delay payment"?

A more formal way to express "delay payment" is to use "defer payment", which implies a more official postponement.

What are some reasons a company might "delay payment"?

Companies might "delay payment" due to cash flow problems, unexpected expenses, or disputes over the invoice amount.

Is there a difference between "delay payment" and "late payment"?

"Delay payment" implies a deliberate postponement, often communicated in advance. "Late payment", on the other hand, usually refers to a payment that is made after the agreed-upon due date, often without prior notice.