What does delayingly mean?
'Delayingly' is an uncommon English adverb meaning 'in a way that delays or postpones.' It is built transparently from the verb 'delay,' which traces back through Old French 'delaier,' combined with the adverbial suffixes '-ing' and '-ly.' The word describes actions carried out slowly, reluctantly, or with deliberate postponement — a committee that responds delayingly drags out its replies, and a worker who proceeds delayingly puts things off step by step. Because it stacks two suffixes onto an already common verb, it can sound heavy or awkward, which explains why it remains rare: writers typically prefer simpler alternatives such as 'tardily,' 'slowly,' or the phrase 'in a delaying manner.' It carries a mildly critical connotation, suggesting inefficiency, hesitation, or obstruction. Though seldom encountered, its meaning is immediately transparent to any reader who knows the verb 'delay,' making it a curiosity more than a staple of ordinary vocabulary.
adverbIn a manner that delays or holds something back; so as to cause or mark postponement.
- In a manner that causes delay or postponement; slowly and with procrastination.
"The committee responded delayingly to each request, stretching the process over months."
"The bureaucracy moved delayingly, answering one letter only after another three had been sent."
"He worked through the list in a delayingly hesitant fashion, putting off the hardest task until last."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does delayingly come from?
'Delayingly' is formed by adding the participial suffix '-ing' and the adverbial suffix '-ly' to the verb 'delay,' which entered Middle English from Old French 'delaier.' The deeper origin of the French verb is uncertain, though it has often been linked to a Vulgar Latin compound of 'de-' plus a verb related to leaving or abandoning. As a late, mechanically derived formation, the adverb lacks an independent history of its own and simply inherits the development of its base verb.
Related word forms
How delayingly is actually used
A rare and somewhat literary adverb formed transparently from 'delay' + '-ing' + '-ly'. It appears mostly in formal or descriptive prose rather than everyday speech, where phrases like 'in a delaying manner' are far more common.
Easily confused with delayingly
Despite a similar ending, 'delayingly' means in a delaying or postponing manner, while 'decreasingly' means to a diminishing degree.