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procrastinate

verb
pro·​cras·​ti·​nate | \ prə-ˈkra-stə-ˌnāt How to pronounce procrastinate (audio) , prō-\
procrastinated; procrastinating

Definition of procrastinate

transitive verb

: to put off intentionally and habitually

intransitive verb

: to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done
Other Words from procrastinate Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about procrastinate

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Other Words from procrastinate

procrastination \ prə-​ˌkra-​stə-​ˈnā-​shən How to pronounce procrastination (audio) , prō-​ \ noun
procrastinator \ prə-​ˈkra-​stə-​ˌnā-​tər How to pronounce procrastinator (audio) , prō-​ \ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for procrastinate

delay, procrastinate, lag, loiter, dawdle, dally mean to move or act slowly so as to fall behind. delay usually implies a putting off of something (such as a beginning or departure). we cannot delay any longer procrastinate implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy. procrastinates about making decisions lag implies failure to maintain a speed set by others. lagging behind in technology loiter and dawdle imply delay while in progress, especially in walking, but dawdle more clearly suggests an aimless wasting of time. loitered at several store windows children dawdling on their way home from school dally suggests delay through trifling or vacillation when promptness is necessary. stop dallying and get to work

Did You Know?

We won't put off telling you about out the origins of "procrastinate." English speakers borrowed the word in the 16th century from Latin procrastinatus, which itself evolved from the prefix pro-, meaning "forward," and crastinus, meaning "of tomorrow." Like its synonyms "delay," "lag," "loiter," "dawdle," and "dally," "procrastinate" means to move or act slowly so as to fall behind. It typically implies blameworthy delay especially through laziness or apathy.

Examples of procrastinate in a Sentence

He procrastinated and missed the submission deadline. He told her to stop procrastinating and get to work.

Recent Examples on the Web

 But don’t procrastinate on this drink either: the S’mores Frappuccino will disappear from Starbucks stores at summer’s end. — Hannah Chubb, PEOPLE.com, "Starbucks Adds Colorful Tie-Dye Frappuccino to Its Menu for 'a Few Days'," 10 July 2019 Looking at the scant details of his life and his penchant to procrastinate and abandon artworks, two neuroscientists have presented a possible reason for Leonardo’s behavior in the journal Brain. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "New Study Suggests Leonardo da Vinci Had A.D.H.D.," 5 June 2019 Or maybe procrastinate your responsibilities a little bit. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "11 TV Shows and Movies to Watch While You Procrastinate Work This Week," 5 May 2019 More like new year, tons of new television to watch while procrastinating and ignoring the outside world. — Marilyn La Jeunesse, Teen Vogue, "Most Anticipated TV Shows of 2019," 27 Dec. 2018 Paying off debt An estimated 26% of Americans are procrastinating on paying off debt. — Maurie Backman, USA TODAY, "The top 5 money matters Americans procrastinate on," 10 Apr. 2018 Paying only the credit-card minimum This is among the worst financial behaviors on which to procrastinate. — Russ Wiles, USA TODAY, "Financial procrastination: 4 things to avoid and how to do it," 8 Apr. 2018 But, of course, voters tend to procrastinate until the last minute, meaning elections offices usually get a huge pile of new ballots dumped on them on election night (and in some states, afterward) that suddenly have to be verified. — Andrew Prokop, Vox, "It could take days — or weeks — to find out which party won Congress," 6 Nov. 2018 This means that most people are either planning (or procrastinating) their costumes, candy corn is suddenly a staple in the snack cabinet, and for the beauty obsessed, Halloween hair and makeup tutorials are on non-stop in the background. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "Hot Topic Just Launched a Beetlejuice Eye Shadow Palette, and It Already Sold Out," 2 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'procrastinate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of procrastinate

1588, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

History and Etymology for procrastinate

Latin procrastinatus, past participle of procrastinare, from pro- forward + crastinus of tomorrow, from cras tomorrow

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More Definitions for procrastinate

procrastinate

verb
How to pronounce procrastinate (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of procrastinate

: 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.

See the full definition for procrastinate in the English Language Learners Dictionary

procrastinate

verb
pro·​cras·​ti·​nate | \ prə-ˈkra-stə-ˌnāt How to pronounce procrastinate (audio) \
procrastinated; procrastinating

Kids Definition of procrastinate

: to keep putting off something that should be done

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More from Merriam-Webster on procrastinate

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with procrastinate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for procrastinate

Spanish Central: Translation of procrastinate

Nglish: Translation of procrastinate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of procrastinate for Arabic Speakers

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