Vocabulary
Procrastination meaning: putting a task off
Sign in to saveYou know the report is due on Friday, yet on Thursday evening you are still arranging your desk. That kind of unnecessary delay is procrastination.
Use procrastination, procrastinate, and procrastinating to describe delaying a task that you intend or need to do.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
procrastination /prəʊˌkræs.tɪˈneɪ.ʃən/
The short answer
Procrastination means delaying a task that you should or want to do, often without a good reason to wait.
Her procrastination left her only one evening to prepare for the interview.
Why it works: She delayed preparation even though the interview was approaching.
3 more examples
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I kept procrastinating on the application until the deadline was two days away.
The speaker kept choosing not to do an important task.
Not this:I kept
postponing the applicationbecause the office was closed. What changes: Postponing can describe any later arrangement. Procrastinating points to avoidable delay by the person who must act. -
The team discussed ways to reduce procrastination during long projects.
The team wants to stop putting parts of the work off.
Not this:The team discussed ways to
reduce the project timeline. What changes: A shorter timeline changes the schedule. It does not say whether people delay their work. -
He procrastinated over the email because he did not know how to begin.
He delayed writing the email, probably because it felt difficult.
Not this:He
revised the emailbecause he did not know how to begin. What changes: Revised means he changed a draft. Procrastinated means he delayed dealing with the email.
Read the full guide
Use procrastination when the delay comes from a person's choice or habit. For a delay caused by a cancelled train, a technical fault, or another outside event, delay is usually the better word.
Recognise the avoidable delay
Procrastination happens when someone puts off a task they mean to do. The person may choose an easier activity first, such as checking messages instead of beginning an assignment.
Cleaning the kitchen instead of starting your tax form can be procrastination.
Use the noun and verb forms
Procrastination is the noun. Procrastinate is the verb, and procrastinating describes the action in progress. These forms keep the same central idea: putting an intended task off.
Her procrastination grew worse during exam week. She procrastinated by watching short videos.
Choose the right preposition
English speakers often procrastinate on a task or project. They can also procrastinate over a decision when deciding feels difficult. Both patterns are common.
Do not procrastinate on the form. She procrastinated over whether to accept the offer.
Separate procrastination from a delay
A delay is neutral: a meeting can be delayed by bad weather. Procrastination needs a person who postpones an action that they could reasonably begin or continue.
The flight was delayed by fog. I procrastinated on booking the flight until prices rose.
Use a natural everyday alternative
Put something off is a common phrasal verb with a similar meaning. It works well in conversation, while procrastinate is useful in both conversation and formal writing.
I have been putting off that phone call. I have been procrastinating on that phone call.
Before you go
Remember this
Procrastination is putting an intended task off. Say procrastinate on a task, procrastinate over a decision, or procrastination on a project. Use delay when the reason may be external or neutral.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
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Try the written questionsQuestions about "Procrastination meaning: putting a task off"
What does procrastination mean?
Procrastination means putting off a task that you intend or need to do. It usually suggests that the delay is avoidable rather than caused by an outside event.
I kept procrastinating on the application until the deadline was two days away.
What is the difference between procrastination and delay?
A delay can have any cause, including traffic, weather, or a technical problem. Procrastination describes a person delaying their own task, often when they could begin it.
I kept postponing the application because the office was closed.
Do I procrastinate on a task or over a task?
Use procrastinate on for a task, project, or piece of work. Use procrastinate over for a decision or question that feels difficult to settle.
The team discussed ways to reduce procrastination during long projects.
What is the verb form of procrastination?
The verb is procrastinate. You can say, for example, I procrastinated on the assignment, or She is procrastinating over her reply.
The team discussed ways to reduce the project timeline.
Is put off the same as procrastinate?
Put off often has a similar meaning and is more informal. Procrastinate focuses more clearly on an unnecessary or habitual delay in doing something important.
He procrastinated over the email because he did not know how to begin.