Dilatory - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Dilatory means tending to delay or procrastinate, often intentionally. It describes actions or behaviors that cause unnecessary slowness, making progress or completion take longer than expected.
Definition:
Tending to delay or procrastinate; slow in action or progress.
Synonyms:
Procrastinating, sluggish, tardy, laggard
Part of Speech:
Adjective
Antonyms:
Prompt, punctual, expedient
Common Collocations:
Dilatory tactics, dilatory behavior, dilatory response
Derivatives:
Dilatoriness, dilatorily
Usage Tips:
Use "dilatory" to describe someone or something causing unnecessary delay, often intentionally.
Common Phrases:
Dilatory tactics, dilatory motion, dilatory plea
Etymology:
From Latin "dilatorius," meaning "delaying," derived from "dilatus," past participle of "differe" (to defer).
Examples:
- 1. The lawyer's dilatory tactics frustrated the judge.
- 2. Her dilatory habits made her miss the deadline.
- 3. The committee criticized his dilatory approach to decision-making.
- 4. Avoid being dilatory if you want to succeed.