experiencing a delay

USAGE SUMMARY

"experiencing a delay" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation when something is taking longer than expected. For example, "We're sorry for the inconvenience, but our flight is currently experiencing a delay."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

A few years ago, a customer experiencing a delay rarely took the additional time to write a letter of complaint.

Harvard Business Review

By 11 13 a.m., Nasdaq warned market participants that it was experiencing a delay in delivering the opening price.

The New York Times

Unfortunately, Polar Rose's most recent blog post says that the application is "experiencing a delay in import of photos from Flickr".

TechCrunch

According to Trading Power, produced in partnership with the Council on Foundations, Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies' 21/64, Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy and Resource Generation, this is the first time in history that society is experiencing a delay in leadership transition, as people live longer and retire later.

HuffPost

The mice were first habituated to experiencing a delay, using the previously experienced towel/foam inserts (Experiment 1A).

Behavioural Brain Research

By contrast, the rate of delayed treatment was far lower in our study, with only 1.1% experiencing a delay before treatment, versus 42.2% in the national study.

BMC Health Services Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

After an initial burst of jarring dissonance, it throbbed gently for a while before experiencing a delayed aftershock.

The Guardian - Music

One study found that patients experiencing a delayed discharge had a higher hospital mortality rate compared to other patients [ 33], which has been supported by other researches [ 15].

BioMed Research International

Increasing the dose of immunosuppressant and introducing corticosteroid pre-medication was effective and safe in one of our patients experiencing a delayed hypersensitivity reaction [ 18].

BMC Gastroenterology

Mr. Filner had "experienced a delay in claiming his bag," according to United Airlines.

The New York Times

(According to an investigation conducted by K.B.R., "P.P.I. employees... became agitated after being told they'd experience a delay while additional food was prepared".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To mitigate the impact of delays, clearly communicate the expected duration and any alternative plans to stakeholders. Transparency builds trust and reduces frustration.

Common error

Avoid using "experiencing a delay" in excessively passive constructions, which can obscure responsibility. Instead of "The report is experiencing a delay", specify who is causing the delay: "The team is experiencing a delay in completing the report" or better still, use an active sentence to show agency, like for example: "The team cannot complete the report on time because of missing data".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "experiencing a delay" functions as a verb phrase, typically part of a larger sentence. It often acts as the predicate or part of the predicate, describing what the subject is undergoing. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and suitable for diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "experiencing a delay" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to denote a temporary slowdown or postponement. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usability. While it appears most commonly in scientific and news contexts, it's versatile enough for professional settings. When using the phrase, consider actively specifying the cause of the delay to avoid passive constructions. Alternatives like "running behind schedule" or "encountering a setback" can offer subtle variations in meaning. Remember to communicate the expected duration and alternative plans when reporting such delays to maintain transparency and build trust with stakeholders.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

running behind schedule

Indicates that something is not progressing according to the planned timeline.

falling behind time

Conveys a similar meaning to "running behind schedule", emphasizing the deviation from the intended timing.

encountering a setback

Replaces "delay" with "setback", implying a hindrance to progress.

being held up

This implies that something or someone is preventing progress, causing the delay.

facing a slowdown

Emphasizes the reduction in speed or progress.

stuck in a bottleneck

Uses the metaphor of a bottleneck to describe the situation causing a delay.

undergoing a postponement

Highlights the act of delaying something to a later time.

subject to a hold-up

Suggests an interruption or obstruction causing the delay.

hindered by lateness

Focuses on the state of being late and its impact.

beset by tardiness

Similar to "hindered by lateness" but with a slightly more formal tone.

FAQs

What does "experiencing a delay" mean?

The phrase "experiencing a delay" means that something is being temporarily slowed down or postponed. It's often used to describe situations where progress is not happening as quickly as expected.

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

You can use "experiencing a delay" to describe various situations. For instance, "The shipment is experiencing a delay due to bad weather", or "The project is experiencing a delay due to technical difficulties".

What are some alternatives to "experiencing a delay"?

Some alternatives include "running behind schedule", "encountering a setback", or "being held up". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "experiencing a delay" or "delayed"?

Both "experiencing a delay" and "delayed" are correct, but they have slightly different usages. "Experiencing a delay" is a more active way to describe a situation, while "delayed" is a simpler, more direct adjective. For example, "The flight is delayed" versus "The flight is experiencing a delay".