laggard

/ˈlæɡəd/US/ˈlæɡɚd/

laggard adjective: lagging behind; taking more time than the others in a group.

Adjective

laggard (comparative more laggard, superlative most laggard)

(derogatory) Lagging behind; taking more time than the others in a group.
- But come let's wing our Steps with utmost Speed,
  The swiftest Haste is laggard to the Deed.1752, Francis Gentleman, Ben Jonson, Sejanus, A Tragedy, act 5, scene 1, pages 54–55
- O! drowsy wind of the drowsy west,
  Sleep, sleep,
  By your mountain steep,
  Or down where the prairie grasses sweep!
  Now fold in slumber your laggard wings,
  For soft is the song my paddle sings.1912, E. Pauline Johnson, “The Song My Paddle Sings”, in Flint and Feather
(animal husbandry) Not growing as quickly as the rest of the flock or herd.
- The laggard broilers are euthanized and incinerated.

laggard (plural laggards)

One who lags behind; one who takes more time than is necessary or more than the others in a group.
- Blushing I look upon my poor Resolves,
  A Laggard in the Race, and faintly striving
  To follow Excellence that soars so high.1733, William Havard, Scanderbeg: A Tragedy, London: J. Watts, Act II, Scene 4, p. 17
- “Late come, late served, Mabel,” said her uncle, between mouthfuls of broiled salmon; […] “late come, late served; it is a good rule, and keeps laggards up to their work.” ¶ “I am no laggard, Uncle; for I have been stirring nearly an hour, and exploring our island.”1840, James Fenimore Cooper, chapter 20, in The Pathfinder, or The Inland Sea

ڈھیلا, دھیما, پس ماندہ, پھسڈی, سست رفتار

പുറകിൽ തങ്ങുന്നവൻ

ಮಂದಗಾಮಿ, ಹಿಂದೆ ಬೀಳುವವನು, ನಿತ್ರಾಣಿ

Between blinks Tommy saw Temple in the path, her body slender and motionless for a moment as though waiting for some laggard part to catch up.1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Vintage, published 1993, page 66:
[...] and we were twice slowed badly because of a laggard stock train ahead stowing itself away at Enfield Lock; [...].1959 September, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 431:
A particularly robust intervention will be required if Ireland’s disbalance between Dublin’s primacy and its laggard provincial cities, is to be addressed.2016 November 30, Emma Gilleece, “Take the spat out of spatial”, in Village:
Compared with such a growth the terrestrial puff-ball, which will sometimes swell a foot in diameter in a single night, would be a hopeless laggard.1900 December – 1901 August, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “chapter 8”, in The First Men in the Moon, London: George Newnes, […], published...

From lag + -ard.

What does laggard mean?: Laggard means lagging behind; taking more time than the others in a group.
What is laggard in Hindi?: Laggard in Hindi is फिसड्डी (phisaḍḍī). See Laggard meaning in Hindi.
How do you use laggard in a sentence?: Between blinks Tommy saw Temple in the path, her body slender and motionless for a moment as though waiting for some laggard part to catch up.
What part of speech is laggard?: Laggard can be an adjective or a noun.
How do you pronounce laggard?: Laggard is pronounced /ˈlæɡəd/ (UK).

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-laggard.wav.

Cite this entry: “laggard.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/laggard. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.