Procrastinate is a verb meaning to delay or postpone tasks or decisions, often despite intending to complete them. It describes a volitional pause motivated by factors like distraction or risk avoidance, rather than an inability to act. The term is commonly used in educational, professional, and behavioral contexts to discuss time-management habits.
"She tends to procrastinate on filing her taxes until the last minute."
"During exams, students may procrastinate by studying unrelated topics instead of reviewing the syllabus."
"The team procrastinated the launch, citing concerns over marketing readiness."
"If you procrastinate too long, deadlines can creep up and cause unnecessary stress."
Procrastinate comes from the Latin procrastinatus, formed by pro- (forward) + crastinus (of tomorrow), ultimately from cras (tomorrow). The Latin root procrastināre carried the sense of delaying actions to a future time. In Medieval and early modern English, procrastinate appeared as a learned borrowing from Latin, retaining the sense of deferring tasks rather than neglecting them entirely. The word’s more colloquial sense of habitual delay emerged in later usage, especially in educational and behavioral discussions. First known use in English literature traces to the 16th or 17th century, aligning with the revival of Classical vocabulary in scholastic writing. Over time, procrastinate broadened from a formal, scholarly term to a common verb describing everyday time-management procrastination. The stress pattern has remained stable, with primary stress on the second syllable (pro-CRAS-ti-nate). It remains a versatile word in both formal and informal registers, frequently paired with phrases like “procrastinate on” a task, or “procrastination” as a related noun form.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
Help others use "Procrastinate" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Procrastinate" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Procrastinate" and show contrast in usage.
📚 Vocabulary tip: Learning synonyms and antonyms helps you understand nuanced differences in meaning and improves your word choice in speaking and writing.
Words that rhyme with "Procrastinate"
-ate sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
Pronounce as pro-CRAS-ti-nate, with primary stress on the second syllable. IPA US: /proʊˈkræs.tɪ.neɪt/; UK/AU: /prəˈkræs.tɪ.neɪt/. Begin with a rounded /proʊ/ or schwa + /prə/ depending on accent, then /ˈkræs/ with an open front vowel, followed by /tɪ/ and a final /neɪt/. Ensure the /kræs/ cluster is sharp, and the final /neɪt/ is a clear, tense diphthong.
Common errors include misplacing stress (say-CRAS-ti-nate) instead of pro-CRAS-ti-nate, conflating /æ/ with /eɪ/ in the final syllable, and softening the /t/ into a glottal stop in rapid speech. To correct: keep the primary stress on syllable 2, pronounce /æ/ in /kræs/ clearly, and articulate the /t/ as a true alveolar stop before /neɪt/. In connected speech, avoid merging /t/ into a /d/ sound. Practicing with a pause after /kræs/ helps maintain accuracy.
US typically uses /proʊˈkræs.tɪ.neɪt/ with a rhotic onset and a clear /oʊ/ in the first syllable. UK/AU often use /prəˈkræs.tɪ.neɪt/ with a reduced first vowel (schwa) and non-rhoticity; the /r/ is less pronounced in many UK speakers. The final -ate remains /neɪt/ in all, but vowel quality and rhotics influence overall sound. In quick speech, Americans may retain a stronger /oʊ/; Australians commonly maintain /ə/ in the first syllable with a lightly rolled or tapped /r/ depending on speaker.
The difficulty lies in the multi-syllabic rhythm with stress on the second syllable and the /kræs/ cluster, which demands a crisp alveolar /r/ and /k/ + /r/ sequence. The transition from the stressed /æ/ to the following /tɪ/ can produce a light, quick consonant boundary that’s easy to blur in rapid speech. Additionally, the final /neɪt/ must stay as a tense,‑eɪt diphthong instead of a short /ne/ or /nət/. Practicing the /kræ s/ cluster and holding the /neɪt/ will help.
No, procrastinate has no silent letters in standard pronunciations across US/UK/AU. Every letter corresponds to a phoneme: /p r oʊ/ or /prə/ + /kræs/ + /tɪ/ + /neɪt/. The sequence /kræs/ is fully pronounced, and the final -ate is pronounced as /neɪt/. Subtle allophony may affect /oʊ/ vs /ə/ in different accents, but there are no silent letters in the word.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "Procrastinate"!
No related words found
