delayed by two hours

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "delayed by two hours" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where something, such as a flight or event, has been postponed for a duration of two hours. Example: "The train was delayed by two hours due to unforeseen circumstances."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Travel

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Fauquier County schools were delayed by two hours and Prince William County schools canceled outdoor activities.

The Washington Post

The slaughter that followed, apparently delayed by two hours, has devastated the whole of Germany.

The Guardian

The first game of Saturday's doubleheader with the Chicago Cubs was delayed by two hours by rain.

The Washington Post

Things started to go wrong when the family arrived at Bristol airport, with the flight delayed by two hours.

The Guardian - Money

"The Open is finally on Channel 9 in Perth but it is delayed by two hours," writes John Townsend in Australia.

The Guardian - Sport

Delayed by two hours but destined to be debated for months, Mr. Jacobs's spring show expressed perfectly the dislocating values of our culture.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Our flight to London was delayed by eight hours because the airline apparently lost the plane.

The New York Times

My BA flight was delayed by five hours because of the adverse weather.

The Guardian - Money

When he reached the gate, D'Antoni learned the flight had been delayed by three hours.

The New York Times - Sports

The bankruptcy hearing, scheduled for Tuesday morning in White Plains, was delayed by three hours, while the two sides talked.

The New York Times

Their arrival here Friday was delayed by four hours because of mechanical problems with their chartered aircraft.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "delayed by two hours", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being delayed. Avoid ambiguity by specifying the subject of the delay upfront.

Common error

Avoid using "delayed by two hours" without specifying a clear beginning or ending point for the delay. For example, instead of saying "The process was delayed by two hours", specify "The process was delayed by two hours, pushing the deadline to Friday."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "delayed by two hours" typically functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun, indicating the duration of the delay. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. For example, "The flight was delayed by two hours."

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Sports

20%

Travel

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "delayed by two hours" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe a postponement of a specific duration. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage across a wide range of contexts. Predominantly found in news and media sources, as well as sports and travel reporting, it serves the purpose of informing an audience about the timeframe of a delay. While its register is mostly neutral, the phrase is versatile enough to be used in both formal and informal communication. Related phrases, such as "postponed for a two-hour period" or "subject to a two-hour delay", can be used to offer slight variations in meaning or style depending on the desired effect.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

postponed for a two-hour period

Replaces "delayed" with "postponed" and clarifies the duration as a period.

subject to a two-hour delay

Changes the active voice to passive and uses "subject to" to indicate the delay's impact.

ran two hours behind schedule

Focuses on the schedule aspect and uses "ran behind" to indicate the delay.

experienced a two-hour setback

Substitutes "delay" with "setback", emphasizing the negative impact of the delay.

held up for two hours

Uses a more informal expression, "held up", to describe the delay.

a two-hour holdup occurred

Nominalizes the delay, turning it into a noun phrase.

faced a delay lasting two hours

Emphasizes the duration of the delay and uses "faced" to indicate the experience.

retarded by a period of two hours

Uses the more formal word "retarded" to express the delay.

hindered for a duration of two hours

Replaces "delayed" with "hindered", suggesting an obstruction.

a two-hour deferment

Nominalizes the delay using the word "deferment", implying a temporary postponement.

FAQs

How can I use "delayed by two hours" in a sentence?

You can use "delayed by two hours" to indicate that something is running behind schedule. For example, "The flight was "delayed by two hours" due to bad weather".

What's the difference between ""delayed by two hours"" and "postponed by two hours"?

"Delayed by two hours" implies that something was already scheduled but is now running late. "Postponed by two hours" suggests that the event was moved to a later time before it was due to begin.

What can I say instead of ""delayed by two hours""?

Alternatives include "postponed for a two-hour period", "subject to a two-hour delay", or "ran two hours behind schedule" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "delayed of two hours" instead of ""delayed by two hours""?

No, "delayed of two hours" is grammatically incorrect. The correct preposition to use is "by", as in ""delayed by two hours"".