delay vs postpone

Question

Hi,Do delay and postpone have the same meaning and are they interchangeable? If not, what is the difference in menaing btw them? Please give me examples.ThanksQuoc

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

They certainly have similar meanings, but they are not interchangeable in many cases.

If something will be pushed back in time by a few hours, it's delayed. For example, weather can delay the departure of a plane.

When something is pushed back to a specific date, days or even weeks later, it's postponed. A business meeting might be postponed because one of the key people got called out of town.

On the other hand, something like a product that is supposed to be released can be "delayed" (not postponed) for months.

Marius Hancu · Answer

I'd say not interchangeable, even though the effects might be similar.

delay: related to slowness, procrastination, acting slowly, retarding
postpone: related to putting off, pushing back (for later)

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DELAY, PROCRASTINATE, LAG, LOITER, DAWDLE, DALLY, and DILLYDALLY mean, in common, to move or act slowly so that expected progress is not made or prospective work is left undone or unfinished.

DELAY suggests putting off <do not delay in sending for your copies. Fill out the attached form today -- Current History> <genuine success seemed as usual to delay and postpone itself -- Arnold Bennett> <to delay foolishly until all opportunity is past>

POSTPONE indicates a deferring, often until some set future time, although to postpone indefinitely means to cancel <I think that we had better postpone our look round the church until after lunch -- Compton Mackenzie> <let us postpone a final evaluation of Valla's treatise until after we have considered the handling of the selfsame problem by the English scholastic, Reginald Pecock -- G.C.Sellery>

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CalifJim · Answer

If a scheduled event is delayed, it takes longer than anticipated for it to start, but it still takes place without a rescheduling.
If a scheduled event is postponed, it is canceled for the time originally scheduled, and it is rescheduled to take place at a later date.

Suppose you go to a concert. If it is delayed, you will continue to sit in your seat and wait for the concert to begin. If it is postponed, you will leave the concert hall and return on the day it is rescheduled.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks

Anonymous · Answer

That was a very good explanation but I want to add another explanation to it. Delay is used when something takes longer than what we expected while postpone will be used when the action will be shifted in time but it does not takes longer.

Anonymous · Answer

Great answer, the concert example is appropriate .

Anonymous · Answer

The concert example is really a great answwer. Thank you

Chetra nhean · Answer

The bad weather delayed the flight for several hours.

The bad weather postponed the flight for several hours.

delay vs postpone

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