as in to delay
to be slow or late about doing something that should be done; to delay doing something until a later time because you do not want to do it, because you are lazy, etc.
He procrastinated and missed the submission deadline. He told her to stop procrastinating and get to work.
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Recent Examples of procrastinate
Nearly 33% of Americans procrastinate filing their taxes, according to a survey from real estate company IPX1031, which polled roughly 1,000 U.S. residents in January.
—
Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 21 Feb. 2025
People procrastinate, and couples usually have to call, text, or email right before the cutoff date.
—Alice Gibbs, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025
Some Americans may be ahead of the game, having filed their returns already with the Internal Revenue Service, while many others may be looking to procrastinate it as long as possible.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
Third, CFOs’ (non) responses to these eight questions will swiftly inform boards if AI readiness is serious, a passing curiosity or simply procrastinating lip service.
—Noah Barsky, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for procrastinate
Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 21 Feb. 2025
People procrastinate, and couples usually have to call, text, or email right before the cutoff date.
—Alice Gibbs, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025
Some Americans may be ahead of the game, having filed their returns already with the Internal Revenue Service, while many others may be looking to procrastinate it as long as possible.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 24 Jan. 2025
Third, CFOs’ (non) responses to these eight questions will swiftly inform boards if AI readiness is serious, a passing curiosity or simply procrastinating lip service.
—Noah Barsky, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for procrastinate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for procrastinate
Verb
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With Kyiv losing its grip on the western Russian region of Kursk, its sole territorial bargaining chip, many believe that Putin may be delaying talks on the ceasefire proposal until the region is firmly back under Russian control.—
Nic Robertson,
CNN,
15 Mar. 2025
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Under a special rule, IRA owners and participants born after December 31, 1950, and who turned 73 in 2024, can delay their first RMD until April 1, 2025.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The state prosecutor's office went in with a backhoe, dogs and devices to find inconsistencies in the ground, but then the investigation inexplicably stalled.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
16 Mar. 2025
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The film also stalled internationally with $1.8 million from 19 markets, though that represents just 25% of its overseas footprint.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
16 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Wright crawled out of the driver’s side door of the vehicle, Chargualaf said.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2025
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But, somehow, life finds a way: The seafloor was crawling with critters of all shapes and sizes, from centuries-old sponges and cup corals to octopuses, snails, worms, sea spiders, icefish and even a rare giant phantom jellyfish.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and dragging hundreds more back to Gaza as hostages.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
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The man was convicted of dragging the girl into an alley on Glenwood Road near E. 38th St. in East Flatbush, Brooklyn and attacking her, cops said.—
Elizabeth Keogh,
New York Daily News,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Procrastinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/procrastinate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.
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