verb
procrastinate
pruh-KRAS-tih-nayt/prəˈkræstɪneɪt/
Delay doing something that should be done.
The student procrastinates by playing a phone game beside unfinished homework.
Etymology
“Forward” and “belonging to tomorrow” capture the image of pushing a task into tomorrow. The Latin verb meant putting off until tomorrow, connecting that image directly to delaying something that should be done.
In context
today instead of doing my actual work I thought it would be fun to procrastinate a little bit and take a look at conservation in the cinema
More examples
- She procrastinated until the application deadline arrived.
- Stop procrastinating and write the first paragraph.
- He procrastinates over even simple paperwork.
Forms
procrastinate · procrastinates · procrastinated · procrastinating
procrastination noun — avoidable delay in doing a task