procrastinate
verb
pro·cras·ti·nate prə-ˈkra-stə-ˌnāt 
prō-
procrastinated; procrastinating
transitive verb
: to put off intentionally and habitually
intransitive verb
: to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done
procrastination
prə-ˌkra-stə-ˈnā-shən
noun prō-
procrastinator
prə-ˈkra-stə-ˌnā-tər
noun prō-
Did you know?
We won't put off telling you about out the origins of procrastinate: it comes from the Latin prefix pro-, meaning "forward," and crastinus, "of tomorrow." The word means moving or acting slowly so as to fall behind, and it implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy.
Example Sentences
He procrastinated and missed the submission deadline. He told her to stop procrastinating and get to work.
Recent Examples on the Web And, per a separate in-app survey from the same year, about 35% of Tinder users admitted to using the app as a way to procrastinate at work. 
Chloe Berger, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2022 In addition, the researchers discovered that especially those people who procrastinate before going to bed also tend to put things off in other ways. Janosch Deeg, Scientific American, 19 July 2022 Please don’t procrastinate, because this is serious. Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 17 Aug. 2022 Another survey found that 88% of people procrastinate at least one hour a day. Fortune, 3 Aug. 2022 In addition, lack of sleep worsens self-regulation, which can further increase the tendency to procrastinate—a vicious cycle. Janosch Deeg, Scientific American, 19 July 2022 Some may also procrastinate on completing services, which has the same effect. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 June 2022 Share specific feedback, and don’t procrastinate on closing the loop. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 3 June 2022 Please, pretty please, don’t procrastinate again until October 17th to begin filing. David Rae, Forbes, 9 Apr. 2022 See More
Chloe Berger, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2022 In addition, the researchers discovered that especially those people who procrastinate before going to bed also tend to put things off in other ways. Janosch Deeg, Scientific American, 19 July 2022 Please don’t procrastinate, because this is serious. Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 17 Aug. 2022 Another survey found that 88% of people procrastinate at least one hour a day. Fortune, 3 Aug. 2022 In addition, lack of sleep worsens self-regulation, which can further increase the tendency to procrastinate—a vicious cycle. Janosch Deeg, Scientific American, 19 July 2022 Some may also procrastinate on completing services, which has the same effect. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 June 2022 Share specific feedback, and don’t procrastinate on closing the loop. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 3 June 2022 Please, pretty please, don’t procrastinate again until October 17th to begin filing. David Rae, Forbes, 9 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin procrastinatus, past participle of procrastinare, from pro- forward + crastinus of tomorrow, from cras tomorrow
First Known Use
1588, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Kids Definition
procrastinate
verb
pro·cras·ti·nate prə-ˈkra-stə-ˌnāt
procrastinated; procrastinating
: to keep putting off something that should be done
procrastinating 1 of 2
adjective
as in stalling
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- stalling
- filibustering
- slowing
- decelerating
- loafing
- strolling
- plodding
- ambling
- tarrying
- loitering
- lingering
- shuffling
- lounging
- dawdling
- lethargic
- dillydallying
- inching
- dallying
- lagging
- creeping
- dilatory
- dragging
- inactive
- deliberate
- poking
- crawling
- pokey
- heavy-footed
- tardy
- leisurely
- laggard
- inert
- slow-footed
- sluggish
- unhurried
- measured
- slow
- poky
- snaillike
- snail-paced
- languid
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rushing
- running
- hurrying
- hasty
- flying
- racing
- speeding
- ready
- rapid
- speedy
- quick
- lightning
- bolting
- whirlwind
- dizzy
- swift
- breathless
- whirling
- brisk
- fast
- prompt
- snappy
- fleet
- rocketing
- expeditious
- meteoric
- breakneck
- scurrying
- scooting
- zipping
- scudding
- whisking
- barreling
- careering
- accelerated
- warp-speed
- hurried
- rushed
- hastened
- quickened
procrastinating
2 of 2verb
as in delaying
to be slow or late about doing something that should be done; to delay doing something until a later time because you do not want to do it, because you are lazy, etc. He procrastinated and missed the submission deadline. He told her to stop procrastinating and get to work. Synonyms & Similar Words
- stalling
- delaying
- crawling
- dragging
- playing
- dawdling
- lingering
- temporizing
- moping
- lollygagging
- dillydallying
- filibustering
- shuffling
- lagging
- loitering
- lallygagging
- poking
- loafing
- creeping
- dallying
- tarrying
- diddling
- idling
- lounging
- strolling
- shilly-shallying
- staggering
- sauntering
- trifling
- fooling around
- ambling
- lolling
- messing around
- plodding
- inching
- fiddling (around)
- puttering (around)
- pottering (around)
- decelerating
- monkeying (around)
- lumbering
- easing
- hanging (around or out)
- slowing (down or up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- scrambling
- hustling
- running
- darting
- humping
- stampeding
- breezing
- sprinting
- bowling
- hurtling
- jogging
- galloping
- trotting
- accelerating
- rushing
- speeding (up)
- outrunning
- running
- hurrying
- overtaking
- flying
- quickening
- racing
- speeding
- scurrying
- catching up
- ripping
- tearing
- hastening
- outpacing
- whirling
- scooting
- bolting
- dashing
- zipping
- whizzing
- whisking
- scudding
- outstripping
- careering
- barreling
- coursing
- rocketing
- fast-forwarding
- barrelling
- hotfooting (it)
- dropping bottle
- dropping by
- dropping dimes
- dropping fire
- dropping ground
- dropping in
- dropping in (on)
- dropping in on
- dropping off
- dropping out
- dropping out (of)
- dropping out of
- dropping out of sight
- dropping plate
- dropping system
- dropping the ball
- droppingly
- droppings
- droppings board
- drops
- drops (off)
- drops a dime
- drops a dime (on)
- drops a dime on
- drops back