boondoggling
Pointless busywork activity
Boondoggling is engaging in wasteful or pointless work, especially to appear busy or justify spending.
The term often targets government projects seen as frivolous uses of taxpayer money: Critics called the highway expansion pure boondoggling.
A boondoggle is the project itself; to boondoggle is to waste time or resources on such work.
Lacking any purpose
- fruitlessProducing no useful outcome
- futileIncapable of producing results
- uselessWithout practical value
- ineffectualFailing to achieve purpose
unproductive · unavailing · idle · valueless · nonproductive · empty · hollow · otiose
Bureaucratic obstacles to action
- paperworkAdministrative written tasks
- inefficiencySuboptimal use of resources
- mismanagementIncompetent handling of responsibilities
- overcomplicationMaking something unnecessarily complex
bloat · waste · pork barrel · earmark · padding · featherbedding · sinecure · cost overrun
Habitual task avoidance
- dawdlingLeisurely time-wasting
- loafingPassing time idly
- idlingOperating without working
- lollygaggingAimless time-wasting
dilly-dallying · goofing off · slacking · frittering · time-wasting · puttering · meandering · killing time
Dishonest money-making scheme
- shamFraudulent imitation
- graftIllicit political gain
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
kickback · cronyism · patronage · sweetheart deal · slush fund · misappropriation · skimming · self-dealing
pointless
Lacking any purpose
- fruitlessProducing no useful outcome
- futileIncapable of producing results
- uselessWithout practical value
ineffectual · unproductive · unavailing · idle · valueless · nonproductive · empty · hollow · otiose · nugatory
red tape
Bureaucratic obstacles to action
- paperworkAdministrative written tasks
- inefficiencySuboptimal use of resources
- mismanagementIncompetent handling of responsibilities
overcomplication · bloat · waste · pork barrel · earmark · padding · featherbedding · sinecure · cost overrun · budget padding
procrastination
Habitual task avoidance
lollygagging · dilly-dallying · goofing off · slacking · frittering · time-wasting · puttering · meandering · killing time · foot-dragging
scam
Dishonest money-making scheme
- shamFraudulent imitation
- graftIllicit political gain
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
corruption · kickback · cronyism · patronage · sweetheart deal · slush fund · misappropriation · skimming · self-dealing · nepotism
boondogglingproductive labor
Work that creates goods
getting things done · meaningful work · value creation · achieving · accomplishing
boondogglingindustriousness
Habitual hard work
diligence · efficiency · fiscal responsibility · cost-effectiveness · economizing