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Synonyms

to-do list

American  

noun

  1. a list of things that one wants to get done or that need to get done.

    No, I haven’t bought the gift yet, but it’s on my to-do list.

Etymology

Origin of to-do list

First recorded in 1920–25

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.

On Spero’s social media to-do list: a “slop hunter of the week leaderboard.”

From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026

With six landings in total, it felt like the Moon had been well and truly ticked off the space to-do list.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Even if they can’t babysit your son, they might be able to grab groceries for you or run other errands, and take some tasks off your to-do list.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026

She wore a yellow knit beanie, gold hoop earrings and the relieved grin of a woman who has finally checked a mammogram off her to-do list.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

That was number 14 on today’s to-do list, and I’m pretty proud of how it turned out.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott

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.