procrastinate

[proh-kras-tuh-neyt, pruh-]

verb (used without object)

procrastinated, procrastinating 

1. to defer action; delay.

   to procrastinate until an opportunity is lost.

verb (used with object)

procrastinated, procrastinating 

1. to put off till another day or time; defer; delay.

   Synonyms: postpone, prolong

procrastinate

/ prə-, prəʊˈkræstɪˌneɪt /

verb

1. (usually intr) to put off or defer (an action) until a later time; delay

Other Word Forms

• procrastination noun
• procrastinator noun
• procrastinatingly adverb
• procrastinatively adverb
• procrastinative adjective
• procrastinatory adjective
• procrastinativeness noun
• overprocrastination noun
• unprocrastinated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of procrastinate¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin prōcrāstinātus, past participle of prōcrāstināre “to put off until tomorrow,” from prō- pro- ¹ + -crāstināre, derivative of crāstinus “of tomorrow” (from crās “tomorrow” + -tinus, adjective suffix)

Word History and Origins

Origin of procrastinate¹

C16: from Latin prōcrāstināre to postpone until tomorrow, from _pro- ¹ + crās tomorrow

Example Sentences

It’s one thing to study and write about later life; it’s quite another to live it and see things I wish I had done differently or, in particular, hadn’t procrastinated about.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

No fan of Dyer’s, whose many books have ranged from a bizarre if thrilling immersion in the psyches of American jazz musicians to a volume about procrastinating while trying to write about D.H.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

So Murderbot, instead of proactively going out on these adventures, is procrastinating.

Read more on Salon

Ron Delnevo, from the Payments Choice Alliance, said he was disappointed about the "procrastinating approach" of the committee.

Read more on BBC

Around one-third of Americans procrastinate filing their taxes.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• dawdle 
• hesitate