slightly behind time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "slightly behind time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something is not on schedule or is delayed to a small extent. Example: "The train is slightly behind time, but it should arrive within the next few minutes."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

5.57am BST Running slightly behind real time here – bear with me.

The Guardian

(If the guest list seems slightly behind the times, that's because the record was originally released in Europe in 2002).

The New Yorker

Due to the length of the spacewalk, and the delay in beginning, the crew was over an hour behind their scheduled timeline for the day, but worked through the post-EVA activities and evening activities without problems, and got to sleep only slightly behind their scheduled time.

Wikipedia

It's slightly behind the real-time counts, but is an accurate list.

TechCrunch

Year-to-date sales in the U.S., compiled by the auto data company TrueCar, are running slightly behind the all-time high for 2016.

Los Angeles Times

The percentage drops slightly as time evolves.

Plosone

Dove's marketing director, Mark Wakefield, has stated that during its brand tracking, consumers responded with recognition of the Dove blue bird logo 90percentt of the time -- just slightly behind Nike's swoosh.

HuffPost

The Daily Telegraph managed to repeat it 22 times, only slightly behind the Express (26), and a bit further behind the Sun (31).

The Guardian - Opinion

The iOS app released today is basically equivalent to the Android version released in mid-August, which means Apple users will likely get support for the device in time with or slightly behind their Google-favouring counterparts.

TechCrunch

Almost three-quarters of graduates under 30 are now in high-skilled jobs, according to the most recent government statistics, only very slightly behind those who graduated in better times; by comparison only 17% of non-graduates made it into these jobs.

The Guardian - Opinion

Wells Fargo would have a slightly easier time.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "slightly behind time" to politely indicate a minor delay in schedules or progress. It avoids assigning blame and keeps communication professional.

Common error

Avoid using "slightly behind time" repeatedly in formal reports; instead, vary your language with synonyms like "marginally delayed" or "a bit late" to maintain reader engagement and demonstrate a richer vocabulary.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slightly behind time" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or action to indicate the degree of lateness or delay. Based on Ludwig AI, it describes that an event, schedule, or task is not exactly on schedule.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "slightly behind time" is a grammatically correct and usable English expression, as validated by Ludwig AI, primarily used to describe a minor delay or deviation from a schedule. It is suitable for neutral and professional contexts. While directly interchangeable alternatives exist, varying the language can improve writing quality. Due to the absence of real-world examples in the search results, frequency and context analysis are limited.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a little behind schedule

Replaces "slightly" with "a little" and "time" with "schedule", focusing on adherence to a plan.

somewhat delayed

Uses "somewhat" instead of "slightly" and replaces "behind time" with the more direct "delayed".

a bit late

A simpler, more informal way to express being "slightly behind time".

running a little late

Focuses on the ongoing nature of the delay, using "running" to emphasize movement.

marginally delayed

Substitutes "slightly" with "marginally", indicating a small degree of lateness.

just a tad behind

An informal alternative, using "just a tad" to downplay the delay.

slightly overdue

Implies that something was due at a specific time and is now a little past that deadline.

a touch behind

Replaces "slightly" with "a touch", keeping the meaning of a small delay.

not quite on schedule

Expresses the idea of being "slightly behind time" in a more indirect manner.

lagging a bit

Uses "lagging" to emphasize the trailing nature of the delay and "a bit" for "slightly".

FAQs

How can I use "slightly behind time" in a sentence?

You can use "slightly behind time" to indicate a minor delay in a schedule or project. For example, "The project is "slightly behind time", but we expect to catch up next week."

What's the difference between "slightly behind time" and "significantly behind time"?

"Slightly behind time" indicates a minor delay, while "significantly behind time" suggests a more substantial delay that could impact the overall timeline.

What can I say instead of "slightly behind time"?

You can use alternatives like "a little behind schedule", "somewhat delayed", or "a bit late" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "slightly behind time" in formal writing?

Yes, ""slightly behind time"" is suitable for formal writing, though alternatives like "marginally delayed" might be preferred for a more sophisticated tone.