lag

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /læɡ/ UK /læɡ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to fall behind or move slowly; a delay between events

There is always a lag between policy and its real-world effects.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to fall behind or move... delay dawdle linger tarry trail loiter lapse interval

Opposites

lead hasten hurry rush

Word family

Derived forms laggardlagging

Etymology

Of uncertain origin, perhaps from a Scandinavian source or a dialectal English word meaning 'last, slow'; possibly originally a children's game term.

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# lag

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /læɡ/
**IPA (UK):** /læɡ/

## Meanings
1. to fall behind or move slowly; a delay between events

## Examples
- There is always a lag between policy and its real-world effects.

## Synonyms
- delay
- dawdle
- linger
- tarry
- trail
- loiter
- lapse
- interval

## Antonyms
- lead
- hasten
- hurry
- rush

## Derived Forms
- laggard
- lagging

## Etymology
Of uncertain origin, perhaps from a Scandinavian source or a dialectal English word meaning 'last, slow'; possibly originally a children's game term.

## AI Etymology
Lag is of uncertain origin, perhaps from a Scandinavian source or a dialectal English word meaning 'last, slow'; possibly originally a children's game term. The form preserves a compact historical development in which the older wording and the present sense remain closely connected. As a verb and noun, it means "to fall behind or move slowly; a delay between events", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Derivative forms include laggard, lagging.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown

lag