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
Perfectionism is just a socially acceptable form of procrastination.
—
Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The triple-check system helps circumvent the ‘shame’ component of procrastination, Le Cunff says.
—Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Rather than seeing patterns like procrastination as flaws, the book encourages people to understand their protective function.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 18 Jan. 2026
The mind collapses into repetitive loops of thought and behavior, like procrastination or irritability, that may promise safety in the moment but over time drain creativity and the capacity to thrive.
—Jon Rosemberg, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2025
The time to shop the best Cyber Monday home deals is quickly dwindling, so consider this your procrastination wake-up call.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
Less procrastination = more flavanol intake!
—Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 13 Nov. 2025
Of course, all of this was just so much procrastination in the face of my actual task, which awaited me in the GoonVerse’s stream room.
—Daniel Kolitz, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The triple-check system helps circumvent the ‘shame’ component of procrastination, Le Cunff says.
—Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
Rather than seeing patterns like procrastination as flaws, the book encourages people to understand their protective function.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 18 Jan. 2026
The mind collapses into repetitive loops of thought and behavior, like procrastination or irritability, that may promise safety in the moment but over time drain creativity and the capacity to thrive.
—Jon Rosemberg, Fortune, 9 Dec. 2025
The time to shop the best Cyber Monday home deals is quickly dwindling, so consider this your procrastination wake-up call.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 1 Dec. 2025
Less procrastination = more flavanol intake!
—Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 13 Nov. 2025
Of course, all of this was just so much procrastination in the face of my actual task, which awaited me in the GoonVerse’s stream room.
—Daniel Kolitz, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for procrastination
Noun
-
Ashley Williams, executive director of Just Transition Northwest Indiana, responded to the delay in a Thursday email.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Some say long delays are affecting emergency response.—
WGME-TV Staff,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Monitoring and documentation requirements of releases are merely recommended, and avoidance and minimization of adverse impacts to animals, plants and the public are left up to the industry.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
These physiological responses are now part of a wider conversation about rising instances of school avoidance among neurodiverse adolescents.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That uncertainty comes with a risk.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
-
When uncertainty rises, organizations instinctively tighten their grip.—
Amy Eliza Wong,
Fortune,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And like our famous one-pan pasta recipe, everything cooks together in the same pot—no waiting for water to boil or being left with a mountain of dishes to clean.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
11 Feb. 2026
-
That's it—no waiting and washing out required.—
Kaitlin Clapinski,
InStyle,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Procrastination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/procrastination. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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