Dilatory
/ˈdɪlətɔːri/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Dilatory means causing delay or being slow to do something. It often describes actions or people who do not hurry and may waste time, sometimes to avoid doing what they should. It is usually used in formal or serious situations, like in work or legal matters.
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See It in Action
Causing delay or slow to act
- •The dilatory response to the emergency made the situation worse.
- •His dilatory tactics in the meeting frustrated everyone.
- •The company’s dilatory approach delayed the project by months.
Intended to delay or avoid action
- •Lawyers used dilatory motions to postpone the court case.
- •The team’s dilatory behavior was seen as a way to avoid responsibility.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "dilatory" like "slow," but with a meaning that shows delay is often on purpose or annoying
- ✓Picture a person slowly walking while others wait, making everyone late
- ✓It's the feeling of frustration when someone keeps putting off important tasks or decisions
- ✓Sounds like "DILL-uh-tory" → imagine a "dill" herb that grows very slowly, so everything is delayed
- ✓Think of a story where a character delays telling the truth, causing problems for others
- ✓NOT like "slow" (which can be natural or neutral), "dilatory" suggests delay that is careless or intentional
- ✓NOT like "lazy" (not doing work because of lack of effort), "dilatory" focuses on causing delay, not just avoiding work
- ✓NOT like "procrastinate" (which is a verb meaning to delay), "dilatory" is an adjective describing the quality of delay
Try Other Words
- •Delaying: causing something to happen later than planned (Use when emphasizing the result of delay)
- •Tardy: late or behind schedule (Use in casual or formal contexts about being late)
- •Procrastinating: delaying or putting off tasks (Use when focusing on the action of delaying, especially by choice)
- •Slow: moving or acting with little speed (Use in general contexts without judgment about intention)
Unboxing
- •Prefix "dil-" comes from Latin "di(s)-" meaning apart or away + "latare" meaning to carry or bear
- •Originates from Latin "dilatorius," meaning causing delay
- •First used in English in the 1600s to describe actions or people who delay or put things off
- •Today, used mainly in formal or legal language to describe delaying tactics or slow behavior that causes problems
Reflect & Connect
•Can being dilatory ever be helpful, or is it always a negative behavior?
•How do cultural differences influence the way people view dilatory actions or delays?
Fill in the blanks
1.The lawyer’s dilatory tactics ___ the court case for several months.
2.When a team is dilatory, it often causes ___ for the whole project.
3.Unlike being simply slow, dilatory behavior usually shows a lack of ___ or care.
4.In meetings, dilatory responses can ___ frustration among participants.
5.People who procrastinate may appear dilatory because they ___ to start tasks.
6.Dilatory actions are often seen as a way to ___ responsibility or avoid decisions.
7.The manager was upset because the dilatory report ___ the entire schedule.