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

Even after a transplant has taken place, the UK system continues to struggle with follow-up care - its five-year survival rates lag behind the best in the world for both hearts and lungs.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

Apple has struggled to develop AI tools of its own, and Siri’s capabilities badly lag behind chatbots available from others.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 12, 2026

Soon one horse began to lag behind the others.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

lag behind

Example Sentences

Related Words