suffered a delay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "suffered a delay" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a situation where something has been postponed or has taken longer than expected. Example: "The shipment suffered a delay due to bad weather conditions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The film suffered a delay due to financial troubles at studio MGM, allowing for several script rewrites.

Independent

By Andrea Thompson This new tapas restaurant suffered a delay prior to its début, so, on a recent evening, not long after its doors finally opened, it seemed like a celebration in the packed dining room.

The New Yorker

This new tapas restaurant suffered a delay prior to its début, so, on a recent evening, not long after its doors finally opened, it seemed like a celebration in the packed dining room.

The New Yorker

Richard Lloyd, executive director of Which?, said: "Our latest train survey showed that people are dissatisfied with the service provided by many of the operators, and it's little wonder when three in 10 people suffered a delay when they last travelled.

The Guardian

We also suffered a delay of about nine months in construction, the unions gave us a horrid time, and the overall cost blew out by 20%.

Forbes

At Kopervik the German plans suffered a delay because of a lack of pilots to guide the ship northwards, Alster continuing later that day, while Kattegat departed Kopervik only on 6 April.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

The fewer connections you make, the lower the chance that you will suffer a delay.

The New York Times

Still, air travelers are much more likely to suffer a delay before taking off than after landing.

The New York Times

American businesses with public-sector contracts will suffer a delay in payments and could go bust – unemployment has already risen as a result of the shutdown.

The Guardian

Via its Delay Repay scheme, First Capital Connect pays its oft-beleaguered customers who suffer a delay of 30 mins or more, but you must make your claim within 28 days of the delay.

The Guardian - Money

They are concerned with optimizing systems where individuals (or elements, in general) suffer or may suffer a delay.

SERIEs

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "suffered a delay", ensure the context clearly indicates what experienced the delay and the reason, if known. For example: "The project suffered a delay due to unforeseen circumstances."

Common error

Avoid using "suffered a delay" when a simple "delay" would suffice, especially if the delay did not have significant negative consequences. "Experienced a delay" might be more appropriate for neutral situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "suffered a delay" functions as a verb phrase, indicating that a subject (e.g. project, shipment, flight) has experienced a postponement or setback. Ludwig examples show its use in describing events that did not occur as expected.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

35%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "suffered a delay" is a grammatically sound way to express that something has been postponed, often with negative implications. While Ludwig confirms its correctness, it's important to consider the context and choose the most appropriate alternative if a neutral tone is desired. Alternatives like "experienced a delay" may be more suitable in such cases. The phrase is most commonly found in News & Media and Science.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

experienced a setback

Replaces "delay" with "setback", focusing on the negative impact of the delay.

sustained a setback

Similar to "experienced a setback", focusing on the negative outcome.

encountered a postponement

Substitutes "suffered" with "encountered" and "delay" with "postponement", indicating a formal delay.

was subject to a deferral

Replaces "suffered" with "was subject to" and "delay" with "deferral", indicating a formal postponement.

faced a hindrance

Uses "hindrance" instead of "delay", highlighting an obstacle that caused the delay.

was affected by a stoppage

Highlights the state of being affected by the delay, using the word "stoppage".

underwent a hold-up

Replaces "delay" with "hold-up", suggesting an unexpected interruption.

ran into a hitch

Uses "hitch" as a more informal synonym for "delay".

met with a snag

Uses "snag" to indicate a small, unexpected problem that caused the delay.

had a period of latency

Replaces "delay" with "latency", suggesting a waiting period.

FAQs

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

Use "suffered a delay" to describe a situation where something has been postponed or has taken longer than expected, often with negative implications. For instance, "The product launch "suffered a delay" due to production issues".

What can I say instead of "suffered a delay"?

Alternatives include "experienced a setback", "encountered a postponement", or "faced a hindrance", depending on the context and the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more formal to say "suffered a delay" or "experienced a delay"?

"Experienced a delay" is generally considered more neutral. "Suffered a delay" implies that the delay had negative consequences. The best option depends on the context.

Which is correct: "suffered a delay" or "had a delay"?

Both are grammatically correct, but "suffered a delay" implies a negative impact from the delay, while "had a delay" is more neutral. Consider "the flight had a delay" versus "the project suffered a delay".