Word: Lag

Pronunciation

/læɡ/

Definitions

• Noun: 1. A delay or retardation in time, movement, or action; a period of time during which something is behind or later than expected. Example: “There was a noticeable lag between pressing the button and the computer’s response.” 2. In sports or gaming, it refers to a delay between the action performed and its corresponding effect on screen. Example: “High ping causes lag that affects the player’s performance.” 3. In statistics or economics, it can refer to a time delay before an effect is observed after a cause. Example: “The unemployment rate often lags behind changes in economic policy.”

• Verb: To move or develop slowly or fall behind; to be delayed or retarded. Example: “After a heavy lunch, he lagged behind his colleagues during their afternoon walk.”

• Adjective: (less commonly) Describing something that is slow or behind. Example: “This outdated system is lagging in terms of speed and efficiency.”

Phrases

• “Lag behind”: To trail or fall behind others due to slowness or delay. Example: “The small business was lagging behind its competitors in adopting new technology.”
• “Network lag”: The delay experienced when data is transmitted over a network.
• “Time lag”: A period of delay between two related events.

Example Sentences

• Noun: “Due to internet lag, her voice came through seconds after she spoke.”
• Verb: “She couldn’t keep up with the group because she lagged from fatigue.”
• Adjective: “Our company’s productivity has been suffering due to our lagging IT infrastructure.”

Synonyms

• Delay
• Retardation
• Slowness
• Deceleration
• Hesitation
• Downtime
• Latency (in a technical context)
• Backlog (in some situations)