as in delay
a state, a habit, or an instance of being slow or late about doing something that should be done
Though she has a tendency towards procrastination, she never fails to turn in her papers on time.
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Recent Examples of procrastination
The low-pressure gatherings taking place in coffee shops, accommodating bars and private homes are intended to turn tedious and procrastination-inducing adult responsibilities into productive time with a twist.
—
ABC News, 3 June 2026
Read the Bee’s full guide to Election Day procrastination here.
—Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
No amount of procrastination can undo the fact that language forces a decision about who is speaking, who is addressed, and who is being spoken about.
—Erika Landström, Artforum, 2 June 2026
The sports ticket market generally doesn’t reward procrastination but this one might.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Caroline first learned about the Hole in her twenties by reading mommy blogs, a form of procrastination less about satisfying any conscious curiosity about motherhood and more about finding comfort in the easy intimacy with which these women wrote about their own lives.
—Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
When the future feels uncertain, paralysis can look like procrastination.
—Ali Kaufman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
The Trimmer understands that a strategic delay is not procrastination, but a patient wait until the situation clarifies itself.
—David Brooks, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Raking and Disposing of Leaves in the Fall Any home gardener who likes indulging in procrastination will love to hear this one.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 25 Feb. 2026
ABC News, 3 June 2026
Read the Bee’s full guide to Election Day procrastination here.
—Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
No amount of procrastination can undo the fact that language forces a decision about who is speaking, who is addressed, and who is being spoken about.
—Erika Landström, Artforum, 2 June 2026
The sports ticket market generally doesn’t reward procrastination but this one might.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026
Caroline first learned about the Hole in her twenties by reading mommy blogs, a form of procrastination less about satisfying any conscious curiosity about motherhood and more about finding comfort in the easy intimacy with which these women wrote about their own lives.
—Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026
When the future feels uncertain, paralysis can look like procrastination.
—Ali Kaufman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
The Trimmer understands that a strategic delay is not procrastination, but a patient wait until the situation clarifies itself.
—David Brooks, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Raking and Disposing of Leaves in the Fall Any home gardener who likes indulging in procrastination will love to hear this one.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for procrastination
Noun
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Sanfilippo is a fatal pediatric neurodegenerative disorder, with each delay in treatment equaling permanent neurological decline.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
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Artemis program Due to the Mark 1 issues outlined above, there will either be significant delays to, or the need to restructure the early phases of, the Moon Base program.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Both the teens and the adults get a tune up on life-saving skills and crash avoidance.—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
7 June 2026
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Allergen avoidance measures, allergy medicines and breathing treatments may be part of your child’s care plan too.—
Dr. Daniel DiGiacomo,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Her apartment offers exceptional views of the basilica, but the uncertainty surrounding the project has become a source of constant concern and has even prevented her from investing in renovations.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
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Jans’s core message, however, was that the population cap would increase uncertainty in already unstable times.—
Jessi Jezewska Stevens,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Separately on Wednesday, Paramount said in an SEC filing that on June 9, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) approved the Paramount-WBD merger may be consummated, subject to expiration of a 14-calendar day waiting period that expires June 23, 2026.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
10 June 2026
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The courtrooms are located on the top floors of a building that has other offices, and there's minimal signage and waiting areas.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Procrastination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/procrastination. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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