procrastination

American  

[proh-kras-tuh-ney-shuhn, pruh‑] / proʊˌkræs təˈneɪ ʃən, prə‑ /

noun

1. the act or habit of procrastinating, or putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention.

   She was smart, but her constant procrastination led her to be late with almost every assignment.

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Etymology

Origin of procrastination

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin prōcrāstinātiōn-, stem of prōcrāstinātiō “a putting off until tomorrow,” equivalent to prōcrāstināt(us), past participle of prōcrāstināre “to put off until tomorrow” + -iō -ion ( def. ); procrastinate ( def. )

Example Sentences

Defaults work because they harness people’s inertia, procrastination and tendency to stick with the path of least resistance, instead of requiring them to make active and often complex decisions.

From The Wall Street Journal

One is the practicality of the measure, which in theory is being dealt with by the EU but is succumbing to endless procrastination.

From BBC

For some, procrastination until the precipice of death inevitably led to a rather stressful process of deathbed absolution.

From Salon

Herbie Hancock is an all-time jazz great, so it is reassuring to hear that he suffers from the same modern day procrastination problems as the rest of us mere mortals.

From BBC

She jokes that procrastination is often her biggest enemy.

From BBC

Related Words

• doubt
• equivocation
• hesitancy
• indecision
• misgiving
• mistrust
• pause
• qualm
• reluctance
• skepticism
• unwillingness
• vacillation