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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of procrastination
Symptoms include procrastination, irritability, and slowed momentum.
—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
City planning, procrastination, pomp and circumstance aside, the planet’s biggest sporting has arrived.
—
Gavin Godfrey,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
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
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
City planning, procrastination, pomp and circumstance aside, the planet’s biggest sporting has arrived.
—
Gavin Godfrey,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for procrastination
Noun
-
Follow evacuation instructions without delay.
-
But with just a 60-day window to finalize a deal, any delay leaves less time to negotiate peace.
Noun
-
The conditions that drive transmission — silence, shame, and avoidance — remain largely unchanged.
-
Obstacle avoidance is critical, as is collecting visual data of plant health and lighting conditions (natural and artificial LED illumination) for correlations over time, to improve yield.
Noun
-
The bank said last week's hawkish Federal Open Market Committee meeting has increased uncertainty over the outlook for short-term interest rates, even as lower oil prices have eased concerns about an economic downturn.
-
The trade comes after years of uncertainty surrounding Milwaukee's direction following the departure of championship-winning head coach Mike Budenholzer in 2023 and caps a steady decline that culminated in the Bucks missing the 2026 playoffs.
Noun
-
Amidst the chaos of scores of league-shaking trades Tuesday, the Minnesota Wild continue to play the waiting game on their big fish, Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin.
-
For two fan bases that had already turned parts of South Florida into pregame gathering spots, the scene around Miami Gardens became a waiting game.
Cite this Entry
“Procrastination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/procrastination. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
