procrastination

[ proh-kras-tuh-ney-shuhn, pruh‑ ]

noun

1. the act or habit of procrastinating, or putting off or delaying, especially something requiring immediate attention:

   She was smart, but her constant procrastination led her to be late with almost every assignment.

Word History and Origins

Origin of procrastination¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin prōcrāstinātiōn-, stem of prōcrāstinātiō “a putting off until tomorrow,” equivalent to prōcrāstināt(us), past participle of prōcrāstināre “to put off until tomorrow” + -iō -ion ( def ); procrastinate ( def )

Example Sentences

Procrastination is rarely a virtue, but in this case, it's an excellent way to stick it to the patriarchy.

From Salon

She jokes that procrastination is often her biggest enemy.

From BBC

Like any endeavor that I set my mind to, I gave it my all despite the relentless sarcasm and procrastination of my students.

From Los Angeles Times

“We thought it was procrastination to punt it over to a charter commission,” said Plata, whose group argued last year in favor of growing the council to 29 members.

From Los Angeles Times

Like any endeavor that I set my mind to, I gave it my all despite the relentless sarcasm and procrastination of my students.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• doubt
• equivocation
• hesitancy
• indecision
• misgiving
• mistrust
• pause
• qualm
• reluctance
• skepticism
• unwillingness
• vacillation