tardy

USAGE SUMMARY

'tardy' is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use the word to describe someone or something as being late or delayed. Example sentence: The speaker arrived tardy to the meeting, causing it to start late.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But Morrisons fell 7.2p to 295.3p after a number of analysts turned negative following Thursday's news of a 10% drop in first half profits as the supermarket suffered the consequences of its tardy entry into the fast growing online and convenience store sectors.

The Guardian - Business

GEORGE STEWART'S teacher in Jamaica used to wait by the school door with a switch to punish tardy pupils.

The Economist

The China Business Times accused the Beijing city authorities of "making false reports" and in another article said provincial authorities were giving tardy, incomplete and falsified figures in order to avoid blemishing the careers of officials.

The Economist

Inflation is rising, and the Fed has arguably been tardy in pushing up rates to ward it off.

The Economist

A scandal involving expensive joyrides for journalists and workers' representatives had further suggested lack of grip at the very top.At a stormy shareholders' meeting in January, Mr Cromme apologised for mistakes and tardy action by the supervisory board, but he showed no sign of making an exit.

The Economist

The tardy supervisors had to sit through a pep talk by the authorities, which deliver such lectures whenever they perceive resistance to "running the internet in a civilised manner"—and then tighten up controls further.The government constantly worries about losing control when an incident captures the public's attention.

The Economist

A tardy and inept response has thrown an unflattering light on the corporation's ability to handle a crisis, exposed flaws in its bureaucracy and cast doubt on the vigour of its corporate governance.

The Economist

The last 90 days ReprintsFirst, the wise executive is neither tardy nor rushed.

The Economist

But other factors might also have slowed things: some dealers complained of tardy payment from the government; rumours spread that a backlog of claims might mean the money would run out for later customers.As of last week, some 457,000 clunker purchases worth some $1.9 billion had been registered.

The Economist

Communists whose forebears nourished Stalin, and have been notoriously tardy in condemning his crimes, today sit in ministries in France.

The Economist

And, like other customers, it will want compensation from Airbus for the tardy delivery of the super-jumbo.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tardy" to describe a formal situation or in writing when a more sophisticated word choice is desired over "late."

Common error

Avoid using "tardy" in casual conversation. While grammatically correct, it sounds overly formal and might be perceived as pretentious in everyday speech.

Linguistic Context

Adjective. The primary grammatical function of "tardy" is to modify a noun, describing it as late, delayed, or not on time. As Ludwig indicates, it is a correct and usable word. Examples from Ludwig show "tardy" modifying nouns such as "pupils", "supervisors" and "payment".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Encyclopedias

15%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Science

5%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tardy" is a grammatically correct adjective that signifies lateness or delay, often with a negative connotation. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's a usable word in written English, particularly in formal contexts. It appears most frequently in news and media sources, and less often in scientific or informal settings. For more casual conversations, alternatives like "late" or "delayed" may be more appropriate. While "tardy" is widely understood, using it in informal contexts can sound overly formal.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

late

Denotes simply not being on time, a direct synonym.

delayed

Implies something was held up and couldn't proceed on schedule.

behind schedule

Describes something not progressing according to the planned timetable.

overdue

Signifies that something should have been done or arrived earlier.

unpunctual

A more formal way of saying not on time.

belated

Suggests something is happening later than it should have.

tardy in coming

Adding 'in coming' reinforces the delay in arrival or occurrence.

slow

In certain contexts, it suggests a lack of promptness.

not on time

A straightforward way of expressing lateness.

lagging

Implies falling behind a set pace or standard.

FAQs

How to use "tardy" in a sentence?

"Tardy" can be used to describe someone or something that is late. For example, "The student received a detention for being "tardy" to class".

What can I say instead of "tardy"?

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

Which is correct, "tardy" or "late"?

Both "tardy" and "late" are correct, but "tardy" is generally considered more formal. Use "tardy" when a more sophisticated or formal tone is desired.

What's the difference between "tardy" and "delayed"?

"Tardy" typically refers to being late in terms of time, while "delayed" implies that something was held up or prevented from occurring on schedule.