as in slow
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the lagging pace of work on the project was worrisome
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in fading
to lose bodily strength or vigor
during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lagging
Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
The United States typically experiences the lagging edge of Latin American displacement waves.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
So while America is most likely still a highly desirable place for all kinds of investors, from the average person putting money into a 401(k) to a professional trader, the lagging performance this year is more than your typical year.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025
Layer on infrastructure costs, amortization, new storage mandates, refinery retrofits for changing crude blends and the lagging effects of the LCFS credit.
—Michael Mische, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
Metrics That Predict, Not Report The lagging nature of HR’s metrics compounds the problem.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Reporting is inconsistent and lagging.
—Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
The disruption comes as Chancellor Friedrich Merz's governing coalition mulls far-reaching reforms to overcome Germany's deeper problems — such as high production costs, lagging private investment and increasingly costly health and pension systems — and boost long-term growth.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Facing lagging staff numbers but a rapidly changing nuclear energy landscape, many facilities have to turned to third-party contractors in order to keep up.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 1 Apr. 2026
By both metrics, the airport’s passenger trends are lagging behind not just the biggest California airports like San Francisco and Los Angeles, but also those of comparable size, such as San Jose, and even smaller spots like Burbank, Ontario and Long Beach.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
Sean Manaea’s lagging velocity is a real worry Manaea’s fastball velocity was still lingering around 88 to 89 mph in his relief appearance for the Mets on Sunday.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
The stock market dip came after the company announced weak holiday season sales, with Barbie products lagging.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
But the center has seen an exodus of artists following the name change, while ticket sales have been lagging, according to analyses in the Washington Post and the New York Times.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
The 21st century’s obstacles for young men—as seen in deaths of despair and lagging employment—have been amply publicized both by credible journalists and by charlatans such as Fuentes.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
The lagging percentage of women film directors last year is a clear sign that the industry is going backward, said Kirsten Schaffer, chief executive of WIF, which advocates for women in Hollywood.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
The United States typically experiences the lagging edge of Latin American displacement waves.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Nov. 2025
So while America is most likely still a highly desirable place for all kinds of investors, from the average person putting money into a 401(k) to a professional trader, the lagging performance this year is more than your typical year.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 12 Nov. 2025
Layer on infrastructure costs, amortization, new storage mandates, refinery retrofits for changing crude blends and the lagging effects of the LCFS credit.
—Michael Mische, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
Metrics That Predict, Not Report The lagging nature of HR’s metrics compounds the problem.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Reporting is inconsistent and lagging.
—Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
Verb
The stock is down over 8% year to date, lagging the S&P 500′s nearly 4% decline.
—Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
The disruption comes as Chancellor Friedrich Merz's governing coalition mulls far-reaching reforms to overcome Germany's deeper problems — such as high production costs, lagging private investment and increasingly costly health and pension systems — and boost long-term growth.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
Facing lagging staff numbers but a rapidly changing nuclear energy landscape, many facilities have to turned to third-party contractors in order to keep up.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 1 Apr. 2026
By both metrics, the airport’s passenger trends are lagging behind not just the biggest California airports like San Francisco and Los Angeles, but also those of comparable size, such as San Jose, and even smaller spots like Burbank, Ontario and Long Beach.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
Sean Manaea’s lagging velocity is a real worry Manaea’s fastball velocity was still lingering around 88 to 89 mph in his relief appearance for the Mets on Sunday.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 30 Mar. 2026
The stock market dip came after the company announced weak holiday season sales, with Barbie products lagging.
—Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2026
But the center has seen an exodus of artists following the name change, while ticket sales have been lagging, according to analyses in the Washington Post and the New York Times.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
The 21st century’s obstacles for young men—as seen in deaths of despair and lagging employment—have been amply publicized both by credible journalists and by charlatans such as Fuentes.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lagging
Adjective
-
In fact, businesses hired workers at their slowest pace since 2011, excluding the onset of the pandemic in 2020.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The area’s large tourist population contributes a constant volume of unfamiliar drivers to already heavily congested roads, with traffic patterns that shift significantly between peak tourist season and the summer months but never truly slow to manageable levels on the area’s major corridors.—
Anton Lucanus
April 3,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hamlin led 292 of the first 317 laps, but a caution for debris on the racetrack with 89 laps to go came out at the perfect time for Elliott, who was fading rapidly on older tires.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Blooper reels, once common in comedy films, are fading from cinema partly due to the rise of dramatic post-credit epilogues and the shift from DVDs to streaming platforms, experts say.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Are clients delaying decisions on big investments?—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Others called it a performative move that contrasts with the EPA’s recent regulatory actions, including a rollback of mercury emissions standards, rescinding drinking water limits for certain PFAS and delaying Biden-era restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC news,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Many Parisian restaurants are relatively small, so tables fill up quickly and stay filled because dining is a leisurely event, with tables turning over less frequently.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
By the 1950s Madras print in the United States had become a popular style for Ivy League students, gentleman’s business attire, and leisurely vacation wear.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Seniors are the most reliable midterm voters in the country, and with the 2026 elections approaching and affordability already their top concern, weakening this program is a risk Republicans should not be taking.—
Joe Hardy,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
-
However, rejecting the goal of citizenship verification altogether risks weakening public confidence in the system.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The primary suite is described as storage-rich and spa-like, with multiple closets and a bath built for lingering.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In our present moment, as the production and consumption of hot takes continues to accelerate, there is a powerful form of resistance to be found in lingering with the unfamiliar, in offering attention without the promise of a quick take-away.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Wrinkles, sun spots and sagging skin have become so demonized, that even teenagers — decades away from this reality — and increasingly men, previously exempt from this ruinous beauty standard, have started to fear, anticipate and prepare for their arrival.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
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When Nordstrom went private last year, the move was seen by industry analysts as a way to let the founding family make the changes needed to rejuvenate its sagging department store business without being hemmed in by Wall Street’s short-term focus on profits.—
Phil Wahba,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But right now, while the press is still bad and the lawsuits are still dragging, sellers should take a breath.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The SaaSpocalypse, ultimately, was a knee-jerk, existential reaction to where AI is (slowly, in many contexts) dragging the tech stack.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lagging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lagging. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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