1.
to defer; to postpone; to shelve
To push a decision, action, or problem to a later time. Often used critically to describe avoidance of difficult decisions, particularly in political and business contexts.
A frequently used expression in news, politics, and business. Carries a critical tone — implying that the postponement is an evasion of responsibility rather than a legitimate scheduling change. The noun form 先送り is also very common.
Common patterns
- 〜を先送りにする: to put off (something)
- 先送り体質: tendency to defer (institutional criticism)
- 判断の先送り: deferral of a decision
- 〜に先送りにする: to defer to (a specific time)
Similar words
- 先延ばしにする: to postpone, to procrastinate — similar meaning but more personal, everyday; implies individual procrastination
- 延期する: to postpone — neutral, official; commonly used for events and schedules
- 後回しにする: to put off until later — more casual, implies deprioritizing
- 棚上げにする: to shelve — strong implication of indefinite postponement
Register
Neutral to formal. Very common in political commentary and news reporting. The key difference from 先延ばし is that 先送り tends to be used for institutional or political decisions, while 先延ばし is more personal.