先延(さきの)ばし

さきのばし
noun
postponement, procrastination
1. postponement, procrastination, putting off
The act of delaying or deferring something to a later time, often with the implication of avoidance.
先延(さきの)ばしにする。
Put it off.
宿題(しゅくだい)の先延(さきの)ばしはやめよう。
Let's stop procrastinating on homework.
問題(もんだい)の先延(さきの)ばしを続(つづ)けると、状況(じょうきょう)はもっと悪(わる)くなる。
If you keep putting the problem off, the situation will get even worse.

先延(さきの)ばし means putting something off to a later time, with a negative nuance of avoidance or irresponsibility. Unlike 延期(えんき) (a neutral, planned postponement), 先延(さきの)ばし implies the delay is unproductive.

WORD FORMATION:
先(さき) (ahead, later) + 延(の)ばし (stretching, extending, from 延(の)ばす)

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 先延(さきの)ばしにする: to put off, to postpone
  • 先延(さきの)ばしの癖(くせ): habit of procrastinating
  • 先延(さきの)ばしをやめる: to stop procrastinating
  • 先延(さきの)ばしにしない: to not put off

CONTRAST:

  • 先延(さきの)ばし: putting off (negative, avoidant)
  • 延期(えんき): postponement (neutral, planned)
  • 繰(く)り延(の)べ: deferral (neutral/formal, often financial)
  • 後回(あとまわ)し: putting on the back burner (negative, similar nuance)

NOTE:
Almost always appears in the pattern 先延(さきの)ばしにする. Using it as a standalone noun is less common.

Related Words

Contrast: 延期(えんき) (neutral postponement)
general
Added 2026.2.17 11:50 · Revised 2026.4.4 21:31
11500/11522_sakinobashi