wish to delay

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "wish to delay" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing a desire to postpone or defer something. Example: "I wish to delay the meeting until next week to allow everyone more time to prepare."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

At 78, Walcott clearly did not wish to delay the next round.

The Guardian - Books

Oöcyte cryopreservation is available at clinics across the country for women who wish to delay having children.

The New Yorker

But those on the Court who wish to delay making such a landmark judgment may have other ideas.

The New Yorker

The letter concluded, "If you anticipate selling Lemsip, you may wish to delay negotiations until the investigation is completed". But the deal proceeded.

The New York Times

Egg Freezing: A Hope, Not a Promise Oöcyte cryopreservation is available at clinics across the country for women who wish to delay having children.

The New Yorker

Students who wish to delay their orals beyond the sixth semester, which is discouraged, will be required to seek the approval of the departmental Director of Graduate Studies.

Columbia University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

But some mutual fund companies and brokerage firms wished to delay trading.

The New York Times

If they had really wished to delay the bill until the end of the current session of parliament on Monday, they could have done so with a volley of censure motions.

The Guardian

If, due to extenuating circumstances, a student wishes to delay all three field examinations to an exam period other than May of the second year, he or she may appeal to the Director of Graduate Studies for approval of an alternative timeline.

Princeton University

Asked why Iran would have decided on such a conversion, Mr. Barak said it might have taken Israeli and American warnings seriously, might have wished to delay a confrontation with Israel until after the American presidential elections, or might have been seeking to convince the agency of the sincerity of its peaceful intent.

The New York Times

The owners wished to delay surgery until after the weekend in this dog because of a good general condition.

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "wish to delay", ensure the context is appropriate for a formal or neutral tone. For a more casual tone, consider alternatives like "want to postpone".

Common error

Avoid using "wish to delay" in informal conversations. It can sound stilted or overly formal. Opt for simpler alternatives like "want to delay" or "prefer to wait".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "wish to delay" functions as an infinitive phrase acting as a verb complement. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

32%

Academia

27%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "wish to delay" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression for indicating a desire to postpone something. As Ludwig AI highlights, it’s generally considered correct and appropriate across various contexts. While it appears most frequently in News & Media, it also sees considerable use in Academic and Scientific writing, lending it a neutral to formal tone. When a more casual tone is desired, alternatives such as "want to delay" or "prefer to postpone" may be more suitable. When using the phrase "wish to delay", ensure it aligns with the formality of your writing or speech.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

desire to postpone

Replaces "wish" with "desire" and "delay" with "postpone", keeping the meaning virtually identical.

want to defer

Substitutes "wish" with "want" and "delay" with "defer", offering a more informal tone.

prefer to hold off

Uses "prefer" to indicate a choice and "hold off" as a more idiomatic alternative to delay.

would rather put off

Emphasizes preference with "would rather" and uses the phrasal verb "put off" instead of delay.

aim to postpone

Replaces "wish" with "aim", suggesting intention, and "delay" with "postpone".

intend to defer

Uses "intend" to indicate purpose and "defer" to mean delay.

plan to delay

Expresses a planned action using "plan" instead of a wish.

seek to postpone

Replaces "wish" with "seek", indicating an attempt to postpone.

choose to defer

Implies a deliberate selection to postpone using "choose".

opt to delay

A more concise way of expressing a deliberate choice to delay.

FAQs

What does "wish to delay" mean?

The phrase "wish to delay" means to want to postpone or put off something until a later time. It expresses a desire to defer an action or event.

How can I use "wish to delay" in a sentence?

You can use "wish to delay" to express a desire to postpone something. For example: "I "wish to delay" the meeting until next week."

What can I say instead of "wish to delay"?

You can use alternatives like "desire to postpone", "want to defer", or "prefer to hold off" depending on the context.

Is "wish to delay" formal or informal?

"Wish to delay" leans towards a more formal or neutral tone. In informal contexts, phrases like "want to delay" might be more appropriate.