is already delayed

USAGE SUMMARY

The sentence "is already delayed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that has been postponed or put off to a later date than originally planned. For example, "The train is already delayed by an hour, so I'll have to make other arrangements for getting to my destination."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

The long-running process is already delayed and has cost £1.5bn so far.

The Guardian - Business

But why rush out the door if my flight is already delayed?

The New York Times - Travel

"The digital service is already delayed by six months and the department has just 18 months to get it up and running as planned," she said.

The Guardian

Amid Thursday's budget cut announcements, Congress called for all funds to be axed to the James Webb Space Telescope, an observatory lauded as the successor to Hubble, which is already delayed and over-budget.

The Guardian

We also reported that GLP-1 slows gastric emptying when emptying is relatively normal, but has minimal effect when emptying is already delayed, consistent with studies in ambulant type 2 diabetics [ 79].

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

The shale gas revolution is already delaying some Arctic energy projects.

The New York Times

"We think that once we incorporate the new bullet points about how the president is already delaying key aspects of the law, it will be even more effective," said Tim Phillips, the group's president.

The New York Times

The more limited protection, which was already delayed a year, is scheduled to start next April.

The New York Times

I was anxious: we were already delayed one day because of our false start and we only had one extra day's worth of food.

The Guardian - Travel

Publication of a four-year-long Department of Trade and Industry report into the affair, which was already delayed once while it was passed to the police last month, will now be shelved for another few weeks to give ministers time to deal with the inevitable political fall-out.

The Guardian - Opinion

"The Hobbit" films were already delayed for months while Warner struggled to reach financial terms with MGM, which has been going through a restructuring of some $4 billion in debt, and lost its intended director, Guillermo del Toro, who tired of waiting.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "is already delayed" to clearly communicate that an expected timeline has been missed and that further delays may have a compounding effect on dependent activities. For example, if a project milestone is already delayed, consider how this impacts subsequent tasks and deadlines.

Common error

Avoid using "is already delayed" as a justification for inaction. Clearly state the reason for the delay instead of simply stating the fact of the delay. For instance, instead of saying "The launch is already delayed, so we can relax", say "The launch is already delayed due to unforeseen technical issues; therefore, we are focusing on resolving them before setting a new date".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is already delayed" functions as a descriptive phrase, specifically a predicate adjective, modifying a noun or pronoun. It indicates the current status of something as being behind the expected or planned schedule. Ludwig examples show its usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "is already delayed" is a grammatically sound and relatively common way to express that something is currently behind schedule. As Ludwig AI confirms, its function is descriptive, providing information about a deviation from an expected timeline. While the phrase is suitable for diverse contexts, authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian show its frequent use in news and media. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by stating the reasons for the delay rather than just the fact, and choose related phrases like "is behind schedule" or "has been deferred" to suit the specific context and level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is behind schedule

Highlights the deviation from the planned timeline, emphasizing a state of being late.

is behind time

Similar to "behind schedule" but can sometimes imply a more general sense of tardiness.

is running late

Focuses on the process of being behind schedule, implying continuous movement away from the original timeline.

is postponed

Indicates a specific action of delaying, focusing on the act of rescheduling to a later time.

has been deferred

Focuses on a formal postponement, often used in official contexts.

is not on time

A straightforward way to indicate that something is late, lacking nuance.

is overdue

Implies that something has passed its expected completion or arrival date.

is slipping

Implies a gradual process of falling behind, often due to unforeseen circumstances.

is held up

Highlights an obstruction or impediment causing the delay.

is jammed up

Suggests being blocked or congested, causing a delay.

FAQs

How can I use "is already delayed" in a sentence?

You can use "is already delayed" to indicate that something is behind its expected schedule. For example, "The project "is already delayed" by two weeks, so we need to reassess our timeline".

What's a more formal alternative to "is already delayed"?

A more formal alternative could be "has been deferred" or "is behind schedule". For instance, instead of saying "The meeting "is already delayed"", you could say "The meeting has been deferred until next week".

What can I say instead of "is already delayed" to emphasize urgency?

To emphasize urgency, you could say "is critically behind schedule" or "is significantly overdue". These phrases highlight the severity of the delay. Instead of saying "Delivery "is already delayed"", you might say "Delivery is critically behind schedule, requiring immediate intervention".

How does "is already delayed" differ from "is going to be delayed"?

"Is already delayed" means something is currently behind schedule, while "is going to be delayed" indicates a future expectation of delay. The former implies a present state, while the latter anticipates a future state. Therefore, "The flight "is already delayed"" means it's late now; "The flight is going to be delayed" indicates a future postponement.