LAGS Synonyms: 141 Similar and Opposite Words

lags 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of lag

as in fades

to lose bodily strength or vigor during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag

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as in delays

to move or act slowly the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lags

2 of 2

noun

plural of lag

as in slowdowns

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of lags

Verb

This immense borrowing fuels concerns as revenue growth lags behind valuations, and financing strain is already surfacing. — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Of course, the reason Venezuela lags by such a huge margin is the dilapidated state of its oil infrastructure. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026 The agency's case count lags about six weeks behind state-by-state numbers due to the process required to confirm and officially report an infection back to the federal level. — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 Also, our politics sometimes lags behind our economic reality. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026 The government's national toll of at least 265 dead and 500 missing lags far behind counts from local authorities, while an independent database lists over 4,100 as unaccounted for. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 In my experience, the temperature down there lags the outdoors by a month or so. — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 13 Aug. 2026 This warming impact typically lags the peak of El Niño by several months, so the bulk of global heating will be observed in 2027. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2026 Yet Washington lags behind even this imperfect effort, even as adversary cooperation expands, with implications for Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific. — Ariane Tabatabai, Time, 4 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lags

Verb

Too often, participation fades just as the lifelong benefits begin.

— Lindsay Davenport, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Slowing down to test demand, unit economics and operational readiness helps companies avoid costly overexpansion and build growth that lasts after the hype fades.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of fades

Verb

Nearly all report that the process contributes to burnout and delays care.

— Richard Menger MD MPA, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Cellphone use before bed delays the natural drop in cortisol that teenagers need to fall asleep, according to Alice Hoagland, PhD, director of the Insomnia Clinic at the Rochester Regional Sleep Disorder Center.

— Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of delays

Verb

The use of noble language to describe a process that weakens constitutional guardrails only widens the disconnect between words and actions.

— Yuripzy Morgan, Baltimore Sun, 20 Aug. 2026
The erosion of those countries’ industrial capacity ultimately weakens their ability to compete with and resist China economically, diplomatically, and militarily.

— Bill Cassidy, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of weakens

Verb

This separating of spheres feels particularly crucial given the embarrassment surrounding NFTs that still lingers among many art professionals.

— Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
The next chance of showers and storms arrives Thursday and lingers through the end of the workweek as much muggier-feeling weather blows back into Maryland.

— Cutter Martin, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of lingers

Noun

Suddenly, residents and officials in red states and swing districts such as Texas, Mississippi and Ohio are echoing progressive leaders like Bernie Sanders in calling for pauses on new data centers.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
Loud, frequent snoring paired with gasping, choking or pauses in breathing may point to obstructive sleep apnea.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of pauses

Verb

Unfortunately, using too little paint will leave patchy areas and harsh lines, and using too much paint will promote drips and paint that sags.

— Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 6 July 2026
There is no scrapeable archive of how to grasp a wet cup, unload a box that sags in the middle, fold a towel, or help an older adult out of a chair.

— Robert J. Szczerba, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Definition of sags

Verb

Some of those embassy staff may start returning to their posts soon, however the State Department is still limiting the number of personnel in the Middle East as the war in Iran drags on.

— Greg Dixon, NPR, 21 Aug. 2026
But after years of unprecedented contributions to astronomy, the forces governing the cosmos are finally taking their toll as Earth’s gravitational pull slowly drags the telescope closer towards a point of no return.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of drags

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lagoons

lags

laical

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“Lags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lags. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of lags

verb

noun

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