to-do
Americannoun
noun
Synonym Usage
See ado.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of to-do
before 900; Middle English, Old English; noun use of infinitive phrase; see to, do 1, ado
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“If you just use a ‘soft’ day to create space and then just add more to your to-do list, you’re not doing yourself any favors,” she says.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
City players are scheduled to report for pre-season on 20 July, with those taking part in the World Cup given extra time off, but what is on Maresca's immediate to-do list once he gets started?
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
Not everyone agrees a renovation should be on the to-do list.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
“Whether you’re chasing dreams, tackling that to-do list, or just enjoying a quiet morning at home, I hope it brings a smile with every sip.”
From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026
I reach over to grab my pocket notebook, crossing off number 14 and trying to get the feeling of calm that usually comes from finishing to-do list items, but it doesn’t come.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
Jumping straight into a list of major to-dos would leave little time for ideas to germinate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
“So meta. And it was just as addictive as a romance. I ignored so many to-dos whilst listening. Luckily, it only took me two days to finish!”
From Washington Post ● Dec. 10, 2022
The end of the workday now is more of a prelude, perhaps to another dozen emails or a remote office where nagging to-dos are just steps away.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2022
Other helpful features include a food portion calculator, pet-related to-dos, and access to Whistle’s televet service.
From The Verge ● Jun. 12, 2022
When they had big to-dos old master sent mama over there.
From Slave Narratives: a Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves Arkansas Narratives, Part 5 by Work Projects Administration
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
