All words

procrastinate

Meaning

To put off or postpone an action or task until a later time, often due to a desire to avoid unpleasantness or difficulty.

Examples by difficulty

Basic: Simple, everyday vocabulary — the easiest to read.

Maria likes to procrastinate when she has homework. She knows she should start her assignment, but she keeps finding other things to do. She checks her phone and looks out the window, hoping she can put off her work for a little longer.

Sarah felt a heavy dread as the deadline neared. She knew she should start the project, but the thought of it made her want to just put off doing something else. She decided to clean her room instead of facing the work, a classic way to procrastinate.

Jake stared at the mounting pile of homework, knowing he always seems to procrastinate until the last minute. The stress of potentially failing kept gnawing at him, but somehow he still couldn't bring himself to start working, even as the deadline crept closer and closer.

Every time Max must clean his room, he finds amazing ways to procrastinate. First, he must count the socks under his bed, then he must see if his goldfish can burp, and after that, he simply must stare at the ceiling. Anything to delay or postpone action—especially cleaning!

Barnaby loved snacks. So much so, that when his mom asked him to clean his room, he'd often procrastinate. He'd *really* put off doing something, like "just one more cookie" or "maybe I should nap first." His room, of course, looked like a toy tornado had visited.

Normal: Standard, everyday language.

I really need to get my work done, but I just can't seem to get motivated to work. I keep thinking about things that I could be doing instead, and then end up putting off working on the project until the last minute.

Procrastination is often caused by a desire to avoid pain. Continuous engagement in unpleasant tasks can lead to pain levels that are difficult to ignore. When people procrastinate, they are often trying to avoid this discomfort.

I always procrastinate when it comes to studying for exams. I try to reach my goal, but I always end up putting it off.

Putting things off can be a way to avoid dealing with a problem, but it can also lead to a build up of anxiety. For some people, there's a natural biological tendency to procrastinate in certain situations.

Procrastination is often characterized as putting off or delaying action. It's natural to want to take care of things in a timely manner, but sometimes it's difficult to get started. One way to overcome procrastination is to think about the things you need to do in aGERtical terms. Rather than focusing on the length of the task, think about how much progress you're making. Taking a step-by-step approach will help you stay on task and make progress.

Advanced: Richer vocabulary that stretches an upper-level reader.

Maria tends to procrastinate when she feels overwhelmed by a big assignment. She will often delay her work, telling herself she will start later. As the deadline approaches, her anxiety grows, but she still finds it hard to stop putting off the task.

He knew the report was due tomorrow, yet he continued to scroll through social media. A knot of anxiety tightened in his stomach as he realized he'd once again choose to procrastinate, delaying the inevitable work. The deadline loomed, a stark reminder of his inaction.

Jake stared at the mounting stack of papers, knowing he couldn't procrastinate any longer. The deadline loomed just days away, and his stomach churned with a mix of anxiety and regret. He sighed, pulled the first document closer, and began to work.

Jake loved to procrastinate so much that even his goldfish started tapping on the glass, reminding him to clean the tank. He would delay or postpone action on every chore—his vacuum learned to sigh in disappointment and the dust bunnies began forming escape plans.

Arthur, a connoisseur of exquisite dawdling, often chose to procrastinate rather than tackle his overflowing inbox. He'd gaze at the blinking cursor, contemplating the profound existential implications of sending an email, before deciding a thorough dusting of his antique porcelain cats was of paramount importance.

Challenging: Rare, high-register vocabulary for serious word lovers.

Despite the mounting deadlines, Marcus continued to procrastinate, choosing to browse irrelevant articles rather than tackle his assignments. Each time he delayed or postponed action, anxiety accumulated, making the work seem increasingly insurmountable. In the end, his hesitation compromised not only his grades but also his confidence.

The looming deadline filled her with a palpable dread, yet she continued to procrastinate, scrolling mindlessly through social media. Tomorrow, she vowed, she would finally begin the onerous task. This persistent tendency to postpone action, to put off doing something important, was a vexing habit.

The looming deadline made Jake's stomach churn. He knew he would procrastinate until the last possible moment, leaving himself with a frantic night of hurried research and desperate coffee. His chronic avoidance always seemed to backfire, yet he couldn't break the cycle of postponing important tasks.

Every morning, Harold resolves to conquer household chores, but inevitably manages to procrastinate, finding himself embroiled instead in existential debates with his cat or alphabetizing his collection of novelty socks—any activity sufficiently ludicrous to delay or postpone action on the looming laundry apocalypse.

Barnaby, facing an impending deadline, chose to further procrastinate by meticulously cataloging his extensive collection of peculiar dust bunnies. His thesis, a monumental work of erudition, could assuredly wait while he identified the nascent ecosystem thriving beneath his chaise lounge.

Difficulty

Normal — Everyday words worth reinforcing.

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