procrastinate
pro-KRAS-tuh-neyt
/proʊˈkræstɪneɪt/
To delay or postpone action; to put off doing something despite knowing that it will have negative consequences.
Specifically refers to a habitual or intentional delay caused by laziness, anxiety, or lack of focus.
The story behind the word. The word is built from the Latin 'pro' (forward) and 'crastinus' (belonging to tomorrow). It is the literal act of pushing everything into the 'tomorrow' that never seems to arrive.
Word relationships
- dilly-dally: Dilly-dally is more about wasting time through indecision; procrastinate is about avoiding a specific task.
- stall: Stall is often a tactic to gain time; procrastinate is usually a failure of self-regulation.
- hasten: To move or act quickly.
- proceed: To begin or continue a course of action.
Commonly confused with
- postpone: Postpone is a neutral logistical act; procrastinate is a personal failing or habit.
Word family
- procrastination (noun): The act of delaying or postponing something.
- procrastinator (noun): A person who habitually delays tasks.
Collocations
- tendency to procrastinate
- procrastinate on a project
- chronic procrastinator
Example sentences
- "Procrastination is the thief of time; collar him." A famous literary observation.
- "If you procrastinate on your taxes, you'll only end up more stressed in April." Personal productivity advice.
Memory hook
Think of 'Pro-Crastinating' as being 'Pro-Tomorrow'—you love tomorrow so much you save all your work for it. CRAS means tomorrow; don't put it off 'til then.
When not to use
Avoid using this for formal, necessary delays like a court adjournment.
Fun facts
- The word first appeared in English in the 16th century, suggesting that humans have been struggling with productivity for quite some time.
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