delivery

delivery — noun

1. the process of bringing packages, letters, ordered food, or other items to the p

1.nounB1
Definition

the process of bringing packages, letters, ordered food, or other items to the person or address that asked for them

Example

The delivery driver left the package on the front step before noon.

common collocation: delivery driver / delivery service

Sumin ordered takeout and tracked the food delivery on her phone.

Common collocations
  • delivery driver
  • delivery service
  • delivery date
  • delivery time
  • food delivery
  • mail delivery
  • parcel delivery
  • express delivery
  • free delivery
  • next-day delivery
  • late delivery
Synonyms
  • shipment

    focuses on the goods sent together, often in bulk or over long distances; 'delivery' covers all scales

  • dispatch

    emphasises the sending-out stage rather than the arrival; more formal or logistical

  • handover

    stresses the moment of transfer from one person to another

Antonyms
  • collection

    the act of picking something up rather than having it brought to you

Common Mistakes

The delivery came yesterday for the package.
The delivery of the package happened yesterday.' or 'The package was delivered yesterday.
'delivery' is a noun, not a verb; use 'deliver' as the verb.
I will delivery the letter tomorrow.
I will deliver the letter tomorrow.
'delivery' is a noun; the verb form is 'deliver'.

2. the process of supplying something such as electricity, gas, water, or fuel to a

2.nounB2
Definition

the process of supplying something such as electricity, gas, water, or fuel to a place, building, or machine so that it can function

Example

A power cut disrupted the electricity delivery to several neighbourhoods.

collocation: electricity delivery / power delivery

Fuel delivery to the remote village was delayed by the landslide.

Common collocations
  • electricity delivery
  • power delivery
  • gas delivery
  • fuel delivery
  • water delivery
  • oxygen delivery
  • delivery system
  • delivery rate
  • delivery pipe
Synonyms
  • supply

    broader and more common in everyday use; 'delivery' often adds the idea of active transmission or flow

  • distribution

    focuses on the network that moves resources across a wider area rather than the act of sending

Usage Note

Commonly used in technical and industrial contexts. The thing being supplied (electricity, gas, fuel, oxygen) usually comes right before 'delivery' as a compound noun.

3. the way a person speaks in front of an audience, including their tone of voice,

3.nounB2
Definition

the way a person speaks in front of an audience, including their tone of voice, speed, and how clearly they express ideas

Example

The audience was captivated by the speaker's clear delivery and calm tone.

adjective patterns: clear delivery / calm delivery

Tariq practised his speech delivery in front of the mirror every evening before the conference.

Common collocations
  • speech delivery
  • clear delivery
  • slow delivery
  • comic delivery
  • vocal delivery
  • delivery style
Synonyms
  • presentation

    broader term that includes visual aids and structure; 'delivery' focuses specifically on vocal and expressive manner

  • oratory

    more formal and literary; implies a high level of rhetorical skill

  • elocution

    specifically about clear pronunciation and voice control; narrower than 'delivery'

Usage Note

Often modified by adjectives describing tone or quality (clear, slow, flat, energetic, monotone). Distinguish from sense 1 — this sense has nothing to do with transporting goods.

Common Mistakes

His delivery of the package was excellent.' (when meaning the speech)
His delivery of the speech was excellent.
be specific about what is being delivered.

4. a ball sent toward a hitter by a pitcher or bowler during games such as baseball

4.nounB2
Definition

a ball sent toward a hitter by a pitcher or bowler during games such as baseball and cricket, or the throwing motion used to send it

Example

The pitcher's fast delivery caught the batter completely off guard.

baseball: fast delivery / slow delivery

In cricket, a bowler's delivery can reach speeds over ninety miles per hour.

Common collocations
  • fast delivery
  • slow delivery
  • bowler's delivery
  • pitcher's delivery
  • no-ball delivery
  • first delivery
Synonyms
  • pitch

    the standard term in baseball; 'delivery' is slightly more formal and also used in cricket

  • bowl

    used only in cricket as a verb; the noun is 'delivery' or 'ball'

  • throw

    general term, not specific to cricket or baseball rules

Usage Note

Mostly used in cricket (where it applies to every ball bowled) and baseball (where it refers to the pitcher's throwing motion). In baseball, 'pitch' is more common than 'delivery'.

5. the act of actually producing or providing the results, benefits, or services th

5.nounC1
Definition

the act of actually producing or providing the results, benefits, or services that were promised or expected, especially in a professional or political context

Example

The mayor's delivery of new affordable housing units impressed the community.

collocation: delivery of [promised goods or services]

Critics praised the software company for its on-time delivery of new features.

Common collocations
  • delivery of results
  • delivery of services
  • delivery of promises
  • on-time delivery
  • effective delivery
  • project delivery
  • service delivery
Synonyms
  • fulfilment

    more common in British English for promises or orders; 'delivery' is broader and more active

  • execution

    focuses on carrying out a plan or task; 'delivery' emphasises that a result reaches its intended recipient

  • accomplishment

    general term for achieving something; 'delivery' implies that the achievement was expected by someone else

Usage Note

Frequently appears in business and political writing as part of phrases like 'delivery of results', 'delivery of services', or 'delivery of promises'. Often paired with an adjective such as 'on-time', 'consistent', or 'effective'.

6. the medical process in which a baby is born, especially the final stage when the

6.nounB2
Definition

the medical process in which a baby is born, especially the final stage when the mother pushes the baby out of her body, sometimes with the help of doctors or nurses

Example

The labour lasted twelve hours before the baby was safely delivered.

medical context: safe delivery / normal delivery

The midwife managed a smooth delivery despite some early complications.

Common collocations
  • safe delivery
  • natural delivery
  • caesarean delivery
  • difficult delivery
  • smooth delivery
  • emergency delivery
  • premature delivery
  • delivery room
  • delivery ward
Synonyms
  • birth

    more common in everyday speech; 'delivery' is the medical term for the process

  • labour

    refers to the period of contractions before and during delivery, not the actual birth itself

  • childbirth

    the general term for the whole process of having a baby

Usage Note

Used by medical professionals as a clinical term; in everyday conversation, 'birth' or 'having a baby' is more natural. 'Delivery' is the standard term in hospital settings and medical records.

Common Mistakes

She had a delivery last night.' (vague and confusing — could mean a package.)
She gave birth last night.' or 'The delivery went smoothly, and both mother and baby are fine.
use 'delivery' in a medical context or clarify with 'the delivery of her baby'.
Idioms

cash on delivery

idiom

A payment method where you pay for items when they arrive at your home.

Maya chose cash on delivery for her new phone.

Does this online store offer cash on delivery?

Word family

  • deliver
    verbB1
  • deliverable
    adjectiveC1
  • deliverable
    nounC1
  • deliverer
    nounC1
  • redeliver
    verbC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe moving goods from one place to another, but they differ in scope and emphasis. Delivery is the broadest term, covering everything from a takeout meal to a large furniture piece arriving at a home or office. Shipment suggests a larger quantity of goods travelling together, often by truck, train, or ship, and focuses on the consignment as a whole rather than the act of reaching the recipient. Dispatch emphasises the sending-off stage — the moment goods leave the sender — and is common in logistics and formal business language. Distribution refers to the wider network or system that moves products from a central point to many different locations, such as a company distributing goods to stores nationwide. For example, a bakery dispatches fresh bread to shops each morning, a delivery driver brings a pizza to your door, and the distribution network ensures supermarkets across the region all receive their stock.

delivery ↗shipment ↗dispatch ↗distribution ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word entered English in the 14th century from Old French 'delivrer', meaning 'to set free, to hand over'. This in turn came from Latin 'deliberare', built from 'de-' (away, from) plus 'liberare' (to set free, from 'liber' meaning free). The original idea of 'setting free' gradually shifted to 'handing over' something to someone. By the 15th century, the sense of 'handing over goods' was established. The childbirth meaning appeared in the 16th century, and the public-speaking sense developed in the 18th century.