unpredictable delay

USAGE SUMMARY

"unpredictable delay" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used in a variety of contexts, but the most common usage is when describing a situation where something is expected to happen within a certain time frame, but the exact timing is uncertain or unknown. Example: The flight was supposed to depart at 6pm, but due to an unpredictable delay, we didn't end up taking off until 8pm.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

California's death penalty system is so plagued by inordinate and unpredictable delay that the death sentence is actually carried out against only a trivial few of those sentenced to death.

University of California, Berkeley

Last year, a federal judge said the California system was unconstitutional, writing that it was "plagued by inordinate and unpredictable delay" due to the long, winding appeals process there.

The Washington Post

This is because the random nature of CSMA/CA causes unpredictable delay, which leads to frequent violation of latency requirement.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

This was achieved, in part, by having a variable and unpredictable delay, with some delays as short as 2 s.

Cerebral Cortex

This might well be preferable if the outcome had an unpredictable delay (e.g., when time-to-event end points are used), or when the recruitment rate could strongly vary during the trial.

British Journal of Cancer

Because the present study focused on the exponential growth phase (i.e., gene expression at a constant growth rate), the unpredictable delay and/or time lags related to changes in both gene expression and growth could be neglected (Additional file 1: Figure S1).

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

With these unpredictable delays and denials, life becomes impossible to plan.

The Washington Post

Bandwidth is very limited and there are comparatively long and unpredictable delays.

International Journal of Human-Computer Studies

In multicultural Britain, refugees are jailed for long periods, subject to increasingly restrictive regulations and unpredictable delays.

The Guardian - Books

Meanwhile, a federal judge in California called that state's death penalty system unconstitutional, owing to "inordinate and unpredictable" delays.

The Washington Post

and may be used for SLAM tasks and supervision control for mechatronic devices via channels with unpredictable delays.

Procedia Engineering

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "unpredictable delay", provide context about what is being delayed and the potential impact of the delay.

Common error

Avoid using "unpredictable delay" excessively in a single piece of writing. Vary your language with synonyms like "unexpected holdup" or "unforeseen postponement" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unpredictable delay" functions as a noun phrase, where 'unpredictable' modifies the noun 'delay'. It describes a situation where the timing of something is uncertain or cannot be foreseen. Ludwig AI confirms that it's a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "unpredictable delay" is used to describe situations where delays occur with uncertain timing. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It's commonly found in news, scientific, and academic contexts, indicating its versatility across different registers. When using this phrase, provide context to clarify the nature and impact of the delay. Alternatives like "unexpected holdup" or "unforeseen postponement" can prevent overuse and add nuance. Recognizing common causes and implications helps effectively communicate the challenges posed by such delays.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unpredictable waiting time

Rephrases 'delay' to 'waiting time' for clarity.

unexpected holdup

Replaces 'delay' with a synonym and 'unpredictable' with 'unexpected', maintaining the core meaning.

unforeseen postponement

Substitutes both words with more formal synonyms, altering the tone slightly.

erratic waiting period

Emphasizes the irregular nature of the delay.

random setback

Emphasizes the unexpected and negative nature of the delay.

uncertain interruption

Focuses on the interruption aspect rather than just the time.

variable stoppage

Highlights the changeability of the interruption.

unanticipated lag

Uses synonyms for both words to provide a similar concept.

indeterminate pause

Emphasizes the uncertain duration of the delay.

incalculable suspension

Offers a more formal and dramatic alternative.

FAQs

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

You can use "unpredictable delay" to describe situations where the timing of an event is uncertain. For example, "The project faced an unpredictable delay due to unforeseen circumstances."

What are some synonyms for "unpredictable delay"?

Alternatives to "unpredictable delay" include "unexpected holdup", "unforeseen postponement", or "random setback".

Is it better to say "unpredictable delay" or "unexpected delay"?

Both "unpredictable delay" and "unexpected delay" are grammatically correct. The choice depends on the nuance you want to convey. "Unpredictable" emphasizes the inability to foresee the delay, while "unexpected" simply highlights that it wasn't anticipated.

What causes "unpredictable delays"?

"Unpredictable delays" can be caused by a variety of factors, such as weather, technical issues, or unforeseen circumstances. The key characteristic is that these causes are difficult or impossible to anticipate.