procrastination

noun

Definition of procrastinationnext
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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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 Read the Bee’s full guide to Election Day procrastination here. — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026 But those days of procrastination are coming to an end, and some lawmakers are facing up to that reality. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 28 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 Overthinking and procrastination are two of the habits people confess to most readily and blame on themselves most harshly, and two of the habits most often misread. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 City planning, procrastination, pomp and circumstance aside, the planet’s biggest sporting has arrived. — Gavin Godfrey, AJC.com, 17 June 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for procrastination
  1. delay
  2. avoidance
  3. uncertainty
  4. waiting
Noun
  • But the heat has led to cancellations and delays in several states.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 4 July 2026
  • The city commission reached a major step forward on the project after months of delays and disagreements over the best way to replace the old City Hall, which was damaged beyond repair by the historic flooding of April 2023.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
Definition of delay
Noun
  • Her remedy isn't avoidance, but direct conversation—giving people space to talk through what went wrong before launching the next effort.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Substance abuse is greatly detrimental in its own right, of course, but sometimes the issues that stem from it—stress, emotional exhaustion, secrecy, avoidance—can have similarly devastating long-term effects on a person’s wellbeing.
    — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026
Definition of avoidance
Noun
  • But the idea of luxury accessories serving as emotional armor amid economic uncertainty clearly resonates with consumers and marketeers capitalizing on the phenomenon.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • The restrictions were lifted last week, ending a period of regulatory uncertainty that limited availability for users worldwide.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 8 July 2026
Definition of uncertainty
Noun
  • The carrier said the average waiting time of Gemini Cooperation vessels docking at Shanghai jumped from an average of approximately 24 to 48 hours as of May 22, to a 60-hour waiting average by June 30.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 8 July 2026
  • Leandro Trossard got the assist, bending a perfect back-post cross from the end line to his waiting teammate.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of waiting

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Cite this Entry

“Procrastination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/procrastination. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on procrastination

Nglish: Translation of procrastination for Spanish Speakers

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