laggard
LAG-urd
/ˈlæɡəd/
A person or organization that falls behind others in progress, activity, or development.
Highlights comparative slowness when measured against faster peers or industry standards.
The story behind the word. The root 'lag' came into Middle English likely from Scandinavian sources meaning 'to trail behind.' Adding the suffix '-ard' (as in coward or drunkard) created a noun specifically identifying a person who constantly lingers behind others.
Word relationships
- straggler: Straggler refers physically to someone trailing behind a moving group, while laggard often applies to performance.
- slowpoke: Slowpoke is informal and playful; laggard is formal and serious.
- pioneer: Pioneer is an innovator who leads the way.
- frontrunner: Frontrunner is the leader in a competition or industry.
Commonly confused with
- slacker: A slacker deliberately avoids effort; a laggard simply fails to keep up with faster peers.
Word family
- lag (verb): To fall behind or move slowly.
- laggardly (adverb): In a manner that trails behind others.
Collocations
- economic laggard
- industry laggard
- laggard performance
Idioms & expressions
- bringing up the rear
- falling behind the pack
Example sentences
- "The company transformed itself from an industry laggard into a market leader within five years." Business report
- "The teacher gently encouraged the laggard students to keep pace with the rest of the class." Academic setting
Memory hook
LAGGARD: Someone who suffers severe LAG in a video game or real life. Suffering severe lag.
When not to use
Do not use to describe an isolated individual who is working alone without competitors or peers.
Fun facts
- In technological adoption theory, 'laggards' represent the final group (roughly 16%) to adopt an innovation.
Explore more words
lag, fall behind, stagnation, behind the times, languid, Stagnate
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