delayer

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

de•lay /dɪˈleɪ/   v. 

1. to put off to a later time;
   postpone: [ ~ + verb-ing]:
   The principal delayed opening the school.
   [ ~ + obj]:
   The committee delayed action on the matter.
2. [ ~ + obj] to interfere with the progress of;
   slow down;
   hold back:
   The fog delayed the plane's landing.
3. [no obj] to put off action;
   linger;
   loiter:
   If you delay now, you'll just have to do more later.

n. 

4. the act of delaying;
   procrastination;
   loitering:
   [uncountable] Please finish your work without delay.
5. a postponement:
   [countable] a delay of forty-eight hours.
6. an act or instance of being delayed;
   stoppage:
   [countable] The delay was caused by a three-car accident.

de•lay•er, n. [countable]
de•lay•ing, adj. [before a noun]:

delaying tactics designed to wear us out.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

de•lay  (di lā′), v.t. 

1. to put off to a later time;
   defer;
   postpone:
   The pilot delayed the flight until the weather cleared.
2. to impede the process or progress of;
   retard;
   hinder:
   The dense fog delayed the plane's landing.

v.i. 

3. to put off action;
   linger;
   loiter:
   He delayed until it was too late.

n. 

4. the act of delaying;
   procrastination;
   loitering.
5. an instance of being delayed:
   There were many delays during the train trip.
6. the period or amount of time during which something is delayed:
   The ballet performance began after a half-hour delay.

• Old French delaier (verb, verbal), delai (noun, nominal)
• Middle English delaien (verb, verbal), delai(e) (noun, nominal) 1225–75

de•lay′a•ble, adj. 
de•lay′er, n. 
de•lay′ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. See defer¹. 
• 2. slow, detain.
• 3. procrastinate, tarry.
• 4. tarrying, dawdling.
• 5. deferment, postponement, respite.