Verzögern

Verzögern is a German verb meaning to cause something to take longer or to slow down a process. It can refer to delaying actions, postponing plans, or reducing the pace of a system. The corresponding noun is Verzögerung, meaning delay or latency, and the past participle verzögert can function as an adjective (die Verzögerung, der verzögerte Ablauf).

Etymology: Verzögern is formed with the prefix ver- attached to zögern (to hesitate). The prefix conveys a sense of bringing about a delay or hindrance, rather than simply postponing by choice.

Usage: The verb is used with a direct object to indicate what is being delayed, e.g., Die Lieferung verzögert sich or Der Start des Projekts wurde verzögert. It can describe external causes (logistical bottlenecks) or deliberate decisions (eine Verzögerung herbeiführen). In technical contexts, Verzögerung denotes latency or time delay, as in eine Verzögerung von zwei Sekunden in der Signalverarbeitung.

Relations and nuance: Verzögern is broader than aufschieben (which often implies intentional postponement) and can cover both involuntary delays and strategic postponement. The noun Verzögerung is common in engineering, logistics, computing, and administration.

See also: Zeitverzögerung (time delay), Verzögerungsgeschwindigkeit (delay rate) in specialized fields, and synonyms like hinauszögern for extended procrastination in informal usage.