Lagging — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective verb /ˈla-giŋ/

Meaning & Definition of Lagging

Lagging (noun)

  1. a lag or material used for making lags
  2. material for thermal insulation especially around a cylindrical object
  3. planking used especially for preventing cave-ins in earthwork or for supporting an arch during construction

Lagging (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed

    "the lagging pace of work on the project was worrisome"

    similar: crawling, creeping, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dillydallying, dragging, laggard, languid, leisurely, poking, poky, slow, sluggish, snail-paced, snaillike, tardy, unhurried
    related: deliberate, measured, inactive, inert, lethargic, loafing, lounging, lingering, loitering, tarrying, ambling, heavy-footed, inching, plodding, shuffling, slow-footed, strolling, decelerating, slowing, filibustering, procrastinating, stalling
    opposite: barreling, bolting, breakneck, breathless, brisk, careering, dizzy, fast, fleet, flying, hasty, hurrying, lightning, meteoric, quick, racing, rapid, rocketing, running, rushing, scooting, scudding, scurrying, snappy, speeding, speedy, swift, warp-speed, whirling, whirlwind, whisking, zipping
    near: expeditious, prompt, ready, accelerated, hastened, quickened, hurried, rushed

Lagging (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to lose bodily strength or vigor

    "during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag"

    similar: decaying, drooping, emaciating, fading, failing, flagging, going, languishing, sagging, sinking, wasting (away), weakening, wilting, withering
    related: breaking down, wearing out, yielding, degenerating, deteriorating, rotting, running down
    near: convalescing, rallying, rebounding, recovering, recuperating, gaining

  2. to move or act slowly

    "the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack"

    similar: crawling, creeping, dallying, dawdling, delaying, diddling, dillydallying, dragging, lingering, loitering, lollygagging, moping, poking, shilly-shallying, tarrying, dragging one's feet, dropping behind, falling behind, hanging fire, marking time, taking one's time
    related: fiddling (around), fooling around, messing around, monkeying (around), playing, pottering (around), puttering (around), trifling, hanging (around or out), idling, loafing, lolling, lounging, ambling, easing, inching, lumbering, plodding, sauntering, shuffling, staggering, strolling, decelerating, slowing (down or up), filibustering, procrastinating, stalling, temporizing
    opposite: barreling, bolting, careering, coursing, dashing, flying, hastening, hotfooting (it), hurrying, racing, ripping, rocketing, running, rushing, scooting, scudding, scurrying, speeding, tearing, whirling, whisking, whizzing, zipping
    near: bowling, breezing, darting, humping, hurtling, hustling, scrambling, stampeding, galloping, jogging, running, sprinting, trotting, accelerating, quickening, speeding (up), catching up, fast-forwarding, outpacing, outrunning, outstripping, overtaking

Related Entry: Lag (verb)

Lag is a different word from Lagging. The synonyms below are for lag, not for lagging.

  1. to lose bodily strength or vigor

    "during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag"

    similar: decay, droop, emaciate, fade, fail, flag, go, languish, sag, sink, waste (away), weaken, wilt, wither
    related: break down, wear out, yield, degenerate, deteriorate, rot, run down
    near: convalesce, rally, rebound, recover, recuperate, gain

  2. to move or act slowly

    "the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack"

    similar: crawl, creep, dally, dawdle, delay, diddle, dillydally, drag, linger, loiter, lollygag, mope, poke, shilly-shally, tarry, drag one's feet, drop behind, fall behind, hang fire, mark time, take one's time
    related: fiddle (around), fool around, mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle, hang (around or out), idle, loaf, loll, lounge, amble, ease, inch, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stagger, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up), filibuster, procrastinate, stall, temporize
    opposite: barrel, bolt, career, course, dash, fly, hasten, hotfoot (it), hurry, race, rip, rocket, run, rush, scoot, scud, scurry, speed, tear, whirl, whisk, whiz, zip
    near: bowl, breeze, dart, hump, hurtle, hustle, scramble, stampede, gallop, jog, run, sprint, trot, accelerate, quicken, speed (up), catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Lagging

The most common words with a similar meaning to Lagging:

crawling, creeping, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dillydallying, dragging, laggard, languid, leisurely, poking, poky, slow, sluggish, snail-paced, snaillike, tardy, unhurried, decaying, drooping, emaciating, fading, failing, flagging, going, languishing, sagging, sinking, wasting (away), weakening, wilting, withering, delaying, diddling, lingering, loitering, lollygagging, moping, shilly-shallying, tarrying

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Lagging

Words with the opposite meaning of Lagging:

barreling, bolting, breakneck, breathless, brisk, careering, dizzy, fast, fleet, flying, hasty, hurrying, lightning, meteoric, quick, racing, rapid, rocketing, running, rushing, scooting, scudding, scurrying, snappy, speeding, speedy, swift, warp-speed, whirling, whirlwind

Related Words for Lagging

deliberate, measured, inactive, inert, lethargic, loafing, lounging, ambling, heavy-footed, inching, plodding, shuffling, slow-footed, strolling, decelerating, slowing, filibustering, procrastinating, stalling, breaking down, wearing out, yielding, degenerating, deteriorating, rotting, running down, fiddling (around), fooling around, messing around, monkeying (around)

Near Antonyms of Lagging

expeditious, prompt, ready, accelerated, hastened, quickened, hurried, rushed, convalescing, rallying, rebounding, recovering, recuperating, gaining, bowling, breezing, darting, humping, hurtling, hustling, scrambling, stampeding, galloping, jogging, sprinting, trotting, accelerating, quickening, speeding (up), catching up

Origin & Etymology of Lagging

First known use: 1851

Frequently Asked Questions about Lagging

What does "Lagging" mean?

"Lagging" means a lag or material used for making lags. As an a noun, an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: a lag or material used for making lags. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Lagging"?

Other words for "Lagging" include crawling, creeping, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dillydallying, dragging and laggard. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Lagging" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Lagging"?

There are 89 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Lagging". Common alternatives include crawling, creeping, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dillydallying, dragging, laggard, languid and leisurely.

What is the opposite of "Lagging"?

Antonyms of "Lagging" include barreling, bolting, breakneck, breathless, brisk, careering, dizzy and fast. Near antonyms include expeditious, prompt, ready and accelerated.

How do you use "Lagging" in a sentence?

Examples of "Lagging" in a sentence: "the lagging pace of work on the project was worrisome"; "during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag"; "the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack".

Is "Lagging" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Lagging" can be used as a noun, an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Lagging"?

"Lagging" is pronounced /ˈla-giŋ/.

What is the origin of the word "Lagging"?

First known use: 1851.