to-do
Americannoun
-
to-dos
plural
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:
Too much conservation work currently relies on philanthropists' cash and devoted volunteers, those in the sector say, and much more languishes on the to-do list due to a lack of money.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Start your to-do list by getting your paperwork in order: passport, visa, civil records and documents.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Is that something that is on your to-do list, or an ambition?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 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
She’s always reading or sending a text, talking to someone, leaving a voice memo, or adding another to-do item to a to-do list on the to-do app she never closes.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
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
There’s something invigorating about tackling your to-dos among walls of ferns or billowing bougainvilleas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 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.
