a long time coming

• a long time in coming

a long time coming (not comparable)

1. (set phrase) In process, delayed, awaited, or deserved for a considerable duration of time; overdue.
   • 1870, Wilkie Collins, chapter 10, in Man and Wife:

     "The water is a long time coming. Try another glass of wine."

   • 1912, Edith Wharton, chapter 11, in The Reef:

     "Your letter was a long time coming. I had waited a week—ten days."

   • 1968 Nov. 15, "World: The Moment of Truth," Time (retrieved 21 April 2015):

     The breakthrough in the Paris talks was a long time coming.

   • 2007 Feb. 22, Christopher Clarey, "Tennis: Next time, she will get equal pay," New York Times (retrieved 21 April 2015):

     It has been a long time coming—39 years to be exact—but women's tennis players will receive prize money equal to the men's at Wimbledon this year.

   • 2009 Sep. 9, Chris Johnson, "Liverpool fan Michael Shields free with royal pardon," Click Liverpool (UK) (retrieved 21 April 2015):

     "It's been such a long time coming but finally justice has been done, and an innocent man can be allowed to get on with the rest of his life."

• in the works
• slowly but surely