They always kick the can down the road instead of fixing the problem.
kick the can down the road
idiomTo avoid or postpone a decision or action; to procrastinate.
Origin
disputed originAttested as an activity of idle urban youths since the late 19th century. The modern sense of procrastinate dates from the 1980s.
The committee decided to kick the can down the road by delaying the vote until next month.
Rather than addressing the structural deficit immediately, the government chose to kick the can down the road, leaving the difficult choices for the next administration.
- 01
all roads lead to Rome
Different paths can take one to the same goal.
- 02
bump in the road
A setback or obstacle, especially one which is relatively minor.
- 03
down the road, not across the street
Of the technique for committing suicide, along the radial artery rather than across the wrist from side to side.
- 04
frog
[Cockney slang]road
- 05
get a kick out of
To be delighted by; to be amused by.
- 06
get one's kicks
To enjoy oneself, to have a good time.
- 07
get the show on the road
To begin or launch; to get going.
- 08
go down that road
To settle a way of doing something; do decide to do something in a particular way.
Last updated April 17, 2026