procrastination

Meaning

1. 1noununcountable

   The habit of putting off a task that needs doing, usually for no good reason and often while doing easier things instead.

   Grammar: No plural and no article needed: procrastination wastes time.

   Patterns

   • procrastination over something
   • procrastination about something
   • the cause of procrastination

   Procrastination kept her from starting the essay until the night before.

   His procrastination over the tax forms cost him a late fee.

   Fear of failure is a common cause of procrastination.

Common combinations

chronic procrastination

Chronic procrastination left him with a mountain of unanswered email.

battle procrastination

She uses a timer to battle procrastination.

cure for procrastination

There is no single cure for procrastination.

a form of procrastination

Cleaning the whole kitchen was just a form of procrastination.

succumb to procrastination

Students often succumb to procrastination before exams.

Synonyms and how they differ

delay

Delay is neutral and can be caused by outside events, while procrastination implies the person is avoiding the task by choice.

dawdling

Dawdling means moving or working slowly, whereas procrastination means not starting or finishing at all.

stalling

Stalling is a deliberate effort to gain time, often in front of someone, while procrastination is more a personal habit.

dithering

Dithering means being unable to decide, whereas procrastination can happen even when you know exactly what to do.

Opposites

Word family

procrastinate verb

to put off doing something that should be done

procrastinator noun

a person who often delays tasks

procrastinating adjective

tending to delay

Commonly confused: procrastination or prevarication?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “procrastination”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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