Word
procrastinate
Phoneticspro·cras·ti·nate, stress on the second syllable
US/pɹəˈkɹæstəˌneɪt/
UK/pɹəkɹˈɑːstɪnˌeɪt/
Definitions
01to delay action
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to wait until the last minute to start a task, usually because you do not want to do it.
v. to delay or postpone action; often used intransitively to describe a habitual tendency toward avoidance.
“I always procrastinate when I have to write a long report for work.”
“He tended to procrastinate until the pressure of the looming deadline finally forced him to begin his research.”
Usage
Often used without an object to describe a general habit.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse this with 'postpone'. While 'postpone' is a neutral logistical choice, 'procrastinate' implies a negative habit or lack of discipline.
02to put something off
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to delay a specific task or decision until a later time.
v. to defer or put off a specific action or task. Transitive use is less common than the intransitive but standard in formal contexts.
“You should not procrastinate your tax return until the very last day.”
“The committee decided to procrastinate the final decision until further evidence could be gathered from the field agents.”
Usage
Takes a direct object, often a gerund or a noun phrase.
Teaching tip
In modern speech, 'put off' or 'postpone' is much more common for specific tasks; 'procrastinate' as a transitive verb feels quite formal.
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Additional issues can make it even harder for us to course-correct our brains when procrastinating about a deadline.” Etymology
First attested in 1548; from Latin prōcrastinātus, perfect passive participle of prōcrastinō (“defer, put off till tomorrow”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from prō- (“in favor of”) + crāstinus (“of or belonging to tomorrow”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix), from crās (“tomorrow”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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