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procrastination

procrastination

21 4.8
Delaying tasks you should do until later
  • noun
  • /prəˌkræstəˈneɪʃən/
translation icon : procrastinación
  • His procrastination in submitting the report resulted in a last-minute rush to finish it.
  • academic procrastination
  • procrastination behavior
  • procrastination tendencies

What is the actual fear that's underlying the procrastination?

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Examples

  • So, procrastination is really just a bad habit that stems from a desire to not fail.

  • Regardless of possible mechanisms, recent studies confirm the negative impact procrastination has on academic work habits and performance.

    Academic text (2003)
  • If you could fix procrastination, what would your life be like?

  • I have a procrastination problem.

  • Procrastination is the thief of time, David.

  • Rose, procrastination won't help you!

  • The results suggest that time management training is helpful in lessening worry and procrastination at work.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Empirical studies on time management and procrastination in a work-related context are scarce.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Also, after school, studying makes homework a one-hour job instead of a four-hour procrastination period.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Scher and Osterman (2002) define procrastination as an important obstacle for academic achievement.

    Academic text (2012)

Synonyms

postponement
vsprocrastination
19 3.4

A delay that makes an event or activity happen later than planned

focuses on putting off necessary tasks rather than scheduling changes
deferment
vsprocrastination
11 6.2

A delay that lets something happen at a later time

applies more to ongoing failure to start required tasks
deferral
vsprocrastination
7 5.8

A delay that moves an event or decision to a later time

focuses on habitual or repeated delay of needed tasks
dawdling
vsprocrastination
4 6.5

Slow, unnecessary movement or delay that wastes time

is intentional postponement of needed tasks rather than mere slowness
cunctation
vsprocrastination
  • Formal
9.9

Putting off doing something you should do now

has identical meaning but is an alternative term
mañana
vsprocrastination
9.9

A habit of delaying tasks until later

has identical meaning but is an alternative term
dilatoriness
vsprocrastination
  • Archaic
9.9

A habit of putting things off and acting slowly

is the specific act of postponing particular needed tasks
shillyshally
vsprocrastination
  • Informal
9.9

Delaying making a decision or starting something

is broader, covering deliberate postponement of needed tasks
temporization
vsprocrastination
  • Formal
9.1

Delaying action to gain time and avoid making a decision

is simpler delay of tasks rather than strategic decision avoidance

Antonyms

1.3

Doing things to get results

4 3.5

Doing something quickly and at the expected time

How Soon

promptness
4 3.5
timeliness
5 4.8
delay
434 1.3
postponement
19 3.4
stalling
7 6.3
procrastination
21 4.8

Surface Forms

Morphology

procrastination = procrastinate (transparent) = procrastinate + ion

Standard nominalization of the verb 'procrastinate' by '-ion'; the noun denotes the act or state of delaying.

Etymology

Procrastination comes from the Latin parts pro- and crastinus, from cras meaning 'tomorrow'. Think of it as doing things 'for tomorrow' — putting tasks off — so procrastination means delaying or postponing what you should do now.