What are some opposite words for delay?

Antonyms for delay
dɪˈleɪde·lay

This page is about all possible antonyms and opposite words for the term delay.

Wiktionary1.0 / 1 vote

  1. delayverb

    Synonyms:
    put off, suspend, postpone, defer, forslow, put on ice, adjourn

  2. delayverb

    previously unexpected period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying.

    Synonyms:
    put off, forslow, suspend, put on ice, defer, postpone, adjourn

  3. delayverb

    To retard; to stop, detain, or hinder, for a time.

    Synonyms:
    forslow, suspend, put off, postpone, adjourn, put on ice, defer

English Synonyms and Antonyms1.0 / 1 vote

  1. delay

    To hinder is to keep from action, progress, motion, or growth, or to make such action, progress, motion, or growth later in beginning or completion than it would otherwise have been. An action is prevented by anything that comes in before it to make it impossible; it is hindered by anything that keeps it from either beginning or ending so soon as it otherwise would, or as expected or intended. It is more common, however, to say that the start is delayed, the progress hindered. An action that is hindered does not take place at the appointed or appropriate time; that which is prevented does not take place at all; to hinder a thing long enough may amount to preventing it. A railroad-train may be hindered by a snow-storm from arriving on time; it may by special order be prevented from starting. To retard is simply to make slow by any means whatever. To obstruct is to hinder, or possibly to prevent advance or passage by putting something in the way; to oppose or resist is to hinder, or possibly to prevent by directly contrary or hostile action, resist being the stronger term and having more suggestion of physical force; obstructed roads hinder the march of an enemy, tho there may be no force strong enough to oppose it; one opposes a measure, a motion, an amendment, or the like; it is a criminal offense to resist an officer in the discharge of his duty; the physical system may resist the attack of disease or the action of a remedy. Compare CONQUER; IMPEDIMENT; OBSTRUCT.

    See synonyms for QUICKEN.

    Synonyms:
    baffle, balk, bar, block, check, clog, counteract, embarrass, encumber, foil, frustrate, hamper, hinder, impede, interrupt, obstruct, oppose, prevent, resist, retard, stay, stop, thwart

    Preposition:
    Hinder one in his progress; from acting promptly; by opposition.

Matched Categories

Princeton's WordNet3.5 / 2 votes

  1. delay, hold, time lag, postponement, waitnoun

    time during which some action is awaited

    "instant replay caused too long a delay"; "he ordered a hold in the action"

    Antonyms:
    hurry, rush

    Synonyms:
    clutch, grip, storage area, keep, holdup, detainment, deferral, handle, hold, appreciation, handgrip, wait, cargo area, detention, postponement, waiting, custody, clasp, cargo deck, clench, clutches, grasp, time lag, deferment, cargo hold

  2. delay, holdupverb

    the act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time

    Antonyms:
    rush, hurry

    Synonyms:
    stickup, time lag, holdup, wait, armed robbery, postponement, heist, hold

  3. delay, detain, hold upverb

    cause to be slowed down or delayed

    "Traffic was delayed by the bad weather"; "she delayed the work that she didn't want to perform"

    Antonyms:
    hurry, rush

    Synonyms:
    go, live, detain, stick up, stay, last, confine, hold up, hold out, hold, sustain, hold water, live on, support, check, retard, endure, stand up, withstand, defy, survive

  4. delayverb

    act later than planned, scheduled, or required

    "Don't delay your application to graduate school or else it won't be considered"

    Antonyms:
    hurry, rush

    Synonyms:
    retard, hold up, check, detain, stay

  5. stay, detain, delayverb

    stop or halt

    "Please stay the bloodshed!"

    Antonyms:
    hurry, rush

    Synonyms:
    quell, bide, stick, stay, last out, confine, hold up, ride out, persist, check, rest, appease, remain, stick around, abide, retard, stay on, stay put, outride, continue, detain

  6. check, retard, delayverb

    slow the growth or development of

    "The brain damage will retard the child's language development"

    Antonyms:
    rush, hurry

    Synonyms:
    checker, check, slow up, slow down, moderate, mark, slow, watch, look into, crack, check up on, arrest, go over, tick off, match, tick, fit, hold back, stop, ascertain, determine, assure, find out, agree, turn back, stay, check into, train, break, control, check off, check out, learn, curb, hold up, hold, see to it, see, chequer, discipline, mark off, tally, ensure, decelerate, hold in, suss out, detain, contain, check over, jibe, condition, retard, correspond, insure, gibe

Editors Contribution2.0 / 4 votes

  1. immediate

    occurring or done at once; instant.

    "the authorities took no immediate action"

    Submitted by rinat on June 11, 2017  
  2. compel

    Submitted by anonymous on December 16, 2020  

How to use delay in a sentence?

  1. Tryon Edwards:

    Where duty is plain, delay is both foolish and hazardous where it is not, delay may provide both wisdom and safety.

  2. Esther Choo:

    At every step, there's complexity and there's possibility for delay, whether it's individual state planning, allocation, training, supply of vaccine, storage... there( are) just so many factors at this stage, we need to be prepared for the fact that it is going to be a slow rollout in many places and that it will not change our behaviors or necessarily the trajectory of the pandemic in this country in the short term.

  3. Dan Bristol:

    If you can remove an extra step or delay, a voter is much more likely to cast their ballot.

  4. Yuval Steinitz:

    After a delay of six years, the revised stability clause will allow not only the advancement of Leviathan's development, but also open the sea to exploration for new gas fields, and ensure Israeli gas exports to neighboring countries and Europe.

  5. British Health Minister Matt Hancock:

    We are taking all necessary measures to minimise the risk, the public can be assured that we have a clear plan to contain, delay, research and mitigate this virus.

How to pronounce delay?

How to say delay in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

rankingword
#3446delay
#4640rush
#12483hurry

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