How to add Time Delay in Python?

Last Updated : 25 Jun, 2025

A time delay means pausing the program for a short period before continuing to the next step. This is useful when you want to slow down the execution, like waiting between messages or steps in a loop. In Python, you can add a delay using the sleep() function from the time module, where you specify how many seconds the program should wait.

Now let's look at different ways to pause/delay execution in Python.

Using time.sleep() function

The time.sleep() function pauses the program for a set number of seconds before continuing. It's the simplest way to add a delay in execution.

Syntax:

time.sleep(seconds)

seconds: The number of seconds to pause the program (can be an integer or float).

Example 1: Printing the numbers by adding a time delay.

Python

import time
for i in range(0,5):
  print(i)
  time.sleep(2)

Output

Explanation: It prints numbers one by one from 0 to 4, pausing 2 seconds between each print.

Example 2: Dramatic printing using sleep() for every character.

Python

import time

msg = input("Enter your message: ")
for char in msg:
    print(char, end="")
    time.sleep(0.5)

Output

Explanation:

The code prints each character of a string with a 0.5-second delay using time.sleep().
It creates an auto-typing effect on the screen.

Example 3: Printing the pattern by taking range from the user and adding time delay.

Python

import time

num = int(input("Enter the range: "))
print("Printing the pattern")

for i in range(0, num):
    for j in range(0, i + 1):
        print('*', end=' ')
        time.sleep(0.5)
    print(' ')

Output

Explanation:

It prints a right-angled triangle pattern of asterisks (*) using nested loops.
Each * is printed with a 0.5-second delay to create a slow, step-by-step visual effect.

Example 4: Multithreading using sleep()

Python

import time
from threading import Thread

class Geeks(Thread):
    def run(self):
        for x in range(4):
            print("Geeks")
            time.sleep(2.2)

class For(Thread):
    def run(self):
        for x in range(3):
            print('For')
            time.sleep(2.3)

print("Hello")

g1 = Geeks()
f1 = For()

g1.start()
f1.start()

g1.join()
f1.join()

print("All Done!!")

Output

Explanation:

Two classes Geeks and For run in separate threads and print "Geeks" and "For" multiple times with delays.
Both threads start together and print messages at the same time.
After both finish, the program prints "All Done!!".

Using threading.Event.wait function

threading.Event().wait() function pauses a thread for a specified time without blocking other threads. It's similar to time.sleep() but works well in multithreading scenarios.

Syntax:

threading.Event().wait(timeout)

timeout: Number of seconds to wait. If not given, it waits indefinitely until the event is set.

Example:

Python

import threading

d = 2
print('Geeks')
threading.Event().wait(d)
print('for')
threading.Event().wait(d)
print('Geeks')

Output

Geeks
for
Geeks

Explanation: It creates a typing effect with pauses, using threading.Event().wait() as an alternative to time.sleep() for delaying execution without blocking other threads (if used in multithreaded programs).

Using threading.Timer class

threading.Timer class runs a function after a specified delay in a separate thread. It's useful for scheduling tasks without blocking the main program.

Syntax:

threading.Timer(interval, function, args=None, kwargs=None)

interval: Time (in seconds) to wait before running the function.
function: The function to execute after the delay.
args (optional): Tuple of arguments for the function.
kwargs (optional): Dictionary of keyword arguments for the function.

Example:

Python

import threading

def gfg():
    print("Computer Science: GeeksforGeeks\n")

t = threading.Timer(1.0, gfg)
t.start()
print("Timer")

Output

Timer
Computer Science: GeeksforGeeks

Explanation:

Prints "Timer" right away. Then, after a 1-second delay, it runs the gfg() function in the background and prints "Computer Science: GeeksforGeeks".
The delay doesn’t stop the main program.

Using time.monotonic() and time.monotonic_ns() functions

time.monotonic() and time.monotonic_ns() return a clock value that always moves forward, making them useful for measuring time gaps. They aren’t affected by system clock changes. monotonic_ns() gives the time in nanoseconds for higher precision.

Example 1: With time.monotonic() function

Python

import time
t = time.monotonic()
d = 5

while True:
    t2 = time.monotonic()
    t3 = t2 - t
    if t3 >= d:
        break

print("Time delay of 5 seconds is over!")

Output

Time delay of 5 seconds is over!

Explanation: Measures a 5-second delay using time.monotonic() by checking the time difference in a loop, then prints a message when the delay is over.

Example 2: With time.monotonic_ns() function

Python

import time
t = time.monotonic_ns()
d = 5_000_000_000

while time.monotonic_ns() - t < d:
    pass

print("Time delay of 5 seconds is over!")

Output

Time delay of 5 seconds is over!

Explanation: It waits for 5 seconds using high-precision time.monotonic_ns(). After the delay, it prints a message saying the time is over.