tardy reply

USAGE SUMMARY

"tardy reply" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a response that is late or delayed. For example, "I received a tardy reply to my email inquiry."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Written during the preceding two years, while she and most of her intimates and fellow-writers were rapt by the advancing Fascist insurrection in Spain, the book was couched as a tardy reply to a letter from an eminent lawyer in London who had asked, "How in your opinion are we to prevent war?" Woolf begins by observing tartly that a truthful dialogue between them may not be possible.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Tardy response?

BBC

Water shortages blamed on climate anomaly, tardy response.

Science Magazine

Hi Fred, Please excuse my tardy response to your email!

Vice

There are also lots of helpful lists, such as "Six Reasons to Send a Letter Instead of an E-Mail" "Five Words That Almost Everyone Misuses," "Three Absolute Rules of Responding," and "Five Ways to Apologize for an Inexcusably Tardy E-Mail Reply".

The New York Times - Books

The end result is Australia's response had looked tardy.

BBC

On that issue Jourova complained the U.S. response had been tardy and lacking in detail.

TechCrunch

The average tardiness of those who were tardy fell from 16.75 min (5.59) to 2.0 min.

BMJ Open

His bat's tardy".

The New York Times - Sports

A Tardy Moonflower Q.

The New York Times

Why so tardy?

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "tardy reply" when you want to emphasize not just the lateness of a response, but also a sense of negligence or avoidability in the delay.

Common error

Be aware that "tardy reply" carries a slightly negative connotation. Avoid using it in neutral contexts where a simple "late reply" would suffice.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tardy reply" functions as an adjective-noun combination where "tardy" modifies the noun "reply". This indicates the reply was delayed or late. Ludwig shows it being used to describe responses in formal communication.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tardy reply" is a phrase used to describe a response that is delayed and carries a slightly negative connotation, suggesting the delay was avoidable or negligent. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and is most commonly found in news and media contexts. While "tardy reply" is correct, be mindful of its negative implication and consider alternatives like "delayed response" or "late reply" depending on the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

delayed response

Focuses on the action being postponed rather than the inherent quality of the response.

late answer

Replaces 'reply' with a more general term 'answer', suggesting a broader scope of response.

untimely feedback

Substitutes 'reply' with 'feedback', implying a more formal or constructive response that's overdue.

belated acknowledgment

Emphasizes the delay in recognition or acceptance, shifting the focus to the act of acknowledging.

overdue communication

Highlights the delay in the act of communicating, applicable in settings where dialogue is expected.

slow feedback

Highlights the slowness or time it take to obtain an answer.

protracted response

Emphasizes the extended duration of the reply, rather than just its lateness.

lingering answer

Focuses on the lasting nature or the overstayed arrival of the answer.

stalled reply

Suggests the reply was halted or impeded at some point, causing the delay.

postponed answer

Indicates the answer was intentionally put off until a later time.

FAQs

How to use "tardy reply" in a sentence?

You can use "tardy reply" to describe a response that is later than expected or considered acceptable. For example, "The company issued a "tardy reply" to the customer's complaint, further damaging their reputation."

What can I say instead of "tardy reply"?

You can use alternatives like "delayed response", "late answer", or "slow feedback" depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

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

Both "tardy reply" and "late reply" are grammatically correct, but "tardy reply" implies a degree of negligence or avoidability in the delay, while "late reply" is more neutral. Choose the phrase that best fits the situation you are describing.

What is the difference between "tardy reply" and "slow reply"?

"Tardy reply" suggests that the reply was late due to a lack of promptness or diligence. "Slow reply" implies the reply took a long time, possibly due to circumstances beyond anyone's control. The difference lies in the attribution of responsibility for the delay.