先延(さきの)ばしにする

さきのばしにする
expression
to postpone; to put off; to procrastinate
time-general
1. to postpone; to put off; to procrastinate
To delay dealing with something by pushing it further into the future, often implying that the delay is undesirable or irresponsible.
宿題(しゅくだい)を先延(さきの)ばしにする。
To put off doing homework.
決断(けつだん)を先延(さきの)ばしにしてはいけない。
You must not put off making a decision.
問題(もんだい)を先延(さきの)ばしにしても、解決(かいけつ)にはならない。
Putting off problems won't solve them.
嫌(いや)なことはつい先延(さきの)ばしにしてしまう。
I tend to procrastinate on things I don't want to do.

A very common everyday expression for postponing or procrastinating. Carries a negative connotation — the delay is typically seen as avoidance rather than a strategic decision. The noun form 先延(さきの)ばし is also widely used on its own.

Common patterns

  • 〜を先延(さきの)ばしにする: to put off (something)
  • 先延(さきの)ばしにしない: not to procrastinate
  • 先延(さきの)ばしにされる: to be postponed
  • 先延(さきの)ばし癖(ぐせ): habit of procrastinating

Similar words

  • 先送(さきおく)りにする: to defer, to postpone — similar meaning but more formal and often used in political or business contexts
  • 延期(えんき)する: to postpone — neutral, official; used for scheduled events
  • 後回(あとまわ)しにする: to put something off until later — similar nuance of avoidance
  • 引(ひ)き延(の)ばす: to drag out, to prolong — focuses on stretching a process rather than delaying a start

Register

Neutral to casual. Used in both spoken and written Japanese. Slightly more colloquial than 延期(えんき)する.

Related Words

Compare: 先送(さきおく)りにする (to defer, to postpone)
Compare: 延期(えんき)する (to postpone)
Compare: 遅(おく)らす (to delay)
general
Added 2026.4.19 1:23 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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