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lag behind

VERB
drag
Synonyms
STRONGEST
crawl creep hang shuffle
STRONG
dally dawdle delay inch lag linger loiter poke procrastinate sag shamble stagnate straggle tarry traipse
WEAK
be delayed be quiescent encounter difficulty limp along mark time put off slow down trail behind
Antonyms
STRONG
advance finish go hasten hurry push run rush speed
VERB
hang back
Synonyms
WEAK
drop back drop behind hang fire hang off hold back hold off hover pause procrastinate shrink back shy away stay back stick straggle trail
Antonyms
WEAK
forge ahead

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Its ratings consistently lag behind those of its competitors’.

From Slate • Apr. 21, 2026

Union leaders said that UC’s offers will still leave overall members with incomes that lag behind long-term inflation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

Inevitably, some asset classes will lag behind and funds investing in those classes will appear weak.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

Valuations of AI startups in Europe continue to lag behind U.S. peers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026

For example, the Korean steel industry is equal in efficiency to ours, but all other Korean industries lag behind their American counterparts.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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