Bad / Delay

adjective

1 of 29

Bad / Delay

Url audio

reluctant - Not willing to do something and therefore slow to do it

They were reluctant to invest in the startup without more solid information.

verb

2 of 29

Bad / Delay

audio

shirk - To avoid or neglect a duty or responsibility.

Employees who shirk their duties result in unhappy customers and lower profits.

noun

3 of 29

Bad / Delay

audio

straggler - A person or animal that is last in a group to do something or the last to get to or leave a place

While the other runners were far ahead of him, the straggler struggled at the back of the line.

noun

4 of 29

Bad / Delay

Url audio

backlog - A quantity of work that should have been done already, but has not yet been done

When Bill got back from his vacation, there was such a backlog of work to catch up with, that he had to work until 10pm every night for a week.

noun

5 of 29

Bad / Delay

Url audio

impediment - Something that makes progress or movement difficult or impossible

Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing at 19 months old, but she overcame those impediments and went to Radcliffe and became a great author and speaker.

verb

6 of 29

Bad / Delay

audio

linger - To stay in a place longer than necessary, typically because of a reluctance to leave

The waiter and waitress staff needed to head home, but they first had to wait for the lingering customers to leave.

adjective

7 of 29

Bad / Delay

Url audio

obstinate - Stubbornly refusing to change one's behavior or ideas

When his therapist suggested that Eddie give up gamblilng, he was obstinate and refused to consider the idea.

verb

8 of 29

Bad / Delay

audio

deflect - To direct attention away from a topic

At the press conference the Mayor didn't want to talk about the issue being asked, so he deflected the question and talked about a different subject.

noun

9 of 29

Bad / Delay

Url audio

impasse - A situation where no progress is possible due to disagreement or a deadlock.

The peace talks reached an impasse when neither side was willing to compromise.

noun

10 of 29

Bad / Delay

audio

sloth - Reluctance to work or make an effort; laziness

Reed spent the whole day living in sloth, never even leaving the couch.

noun

11 of 29

Bad / Delay

Url audio

hurdle - a problem that you must solve or deal with before you can make progress.

To take an idea and turn it into a successful and profitable product invovles countless hurdles that must be overcome.

adjective

12 of 29

Bad / Delay

audio

stagnant - Showing no activity; dull and sluggish

In the last few decades, the income of the richest 10% has increased while that of the bottom 90% has remained stagnant.