Tardy means late or delayed, arriving after the expected or required time. When a student is tardy to class, they walk in after the bell has rung and everyone else has already settled into their seats. Schools often track tardiness because being on time shows respect for the teacher and classmates who are ready to learn.

The word carries a slightly more formal or official tone than simply saying “late.” A teacher might mark you tardy in the attendance book, or a workplace might have a policy about employees who are repeatedly tardy. You probably wouldn't say “I was tardy for dinner” at home, you'd just say you were late. But in settings with clear expectations about punctuality, like school, work, or important appointments, tardy is the perfect word.

Being tardy occasionally happens to everyone: you might oversleep, miss the bus, or misjudge how long something takes. But habitual tardiness can frustrate others and create problems. When you're consistently tardy, you miss instructions, disrupt activities already in progress, and may signal that you don't value other people's time.