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⏰ Often late 📈 Lasting action
nonpunctual

nonpunctual

5.5
Not arriving or happening on time
  • adjective
  • /nɒnˈpʌŋkʧuəl/
translation icon : impuntual
  • The train service is known for its nonpunctual arrivals during winter.

Examples

  • His nonpunctual behavior often caused meetings to start late.

  • Her nonpunctual arrival to the meeting made everyone wait for an extra fifteen minutes.

  • Being nonpunctual can create a bad impression at work.

  • Don't be nonpunctual!

  • He is nonpunctual.

  • Being nonpunctual can negatively affect your professional relationships.

  • The nonpunctual bus service frustrates many commuters trying to get to work on time.

Synonyms

late
vsnonpunctual
∞ 1.0

Arriving after the usual or expected time

is used when lateness is habitual rather than a one-off delay
tardy
vsnonpunctual
25 3.9

Arriving or happening later than expected

is used to describe habitual lateness rather than a single delay
unpunctual
vsnonpunctual
6.2

Being late for the agreed time instead of arriving or starting on time

is used for habitual lateness rather than occasional occurrences

Antonyms

punctual
27 3.2

On time for a meeting or event

How Punctual

punctual
27 3.2
nonpunctual
5.5
tardy
25 3.9

Surface Forms

nonpunctual positive

Morphology

nonpunctual = punctual (transparent) = non + punctual

The meaning is a direct negation of 'punctual' ('on time') by the productive prefix 'non-', yielding 'not punctual' = habitually late.

Etymology

Nonpunctual comes from non- meaning 'not' and punctual, which has a root meaning 'point' or 'exact time', like the everyday word 'point'. So a nonpunctual person is 'not at the right point' in time — in other words, often late.