dilatoriness
Tendency toward lateness
Dilatoriness is the quality of being slow to act, especially through deliberate delay or procrastination.
The word carries a whiff of blame—dilatoriness isn't mere slowness but foot-dragging, often when promptness matters: The court criticized the defendant's dilatoriness in responding to discovery requests.
The adjective is dilatory.
Delaying to later
- defermentAuthorized delay of obligation
- procrastinationHabitual task avoidance
- stallingIntentional delay tactics
- tarryingRemaining beyond expected time
foot-dragging · putting off · dawdling · lingering · holdup · protraction · lateness · dragging one's feet
Absence of quickness
- lethargyAbnormal drowsiness and apathy
- languorWeary, dreamy fatigue
- torporInactive, sluggish state
- listlessnessAbsence of energy, enthusiasm
inertia · lassitude · slothfulness · plodding · lagging · creeping · unhurried · leisureliness
Culpable lack of care
- neglectFailure to provide care
- laxityLack of strictness
- carelessnessInattention causing mistakes
- inattentionLack of focus
slackness · dereliction · irresponsibility · heedlessness · disregard · oversight · apathy · indolence
postponement
Delaying to later
- defermentAuthorized delay of obligation
- procrastinationHabitual task avoidance
- stallingIntentional delay tactics
tarrying · foot-dragging · putting off · dawdling · lingering · holdup · protraction · lateness · dragging one's feet · dilly-dallying
slowness
Absence of quickness
listlessness · inertia · lassitude · slothfulness · plodding · lagging · creeping · unhurried · leisureliness · snail-paced
remissness
Culpable lack of care
- neglectFailure to provide care
- laxityLack of strictness
- carelessnessInattention causing mistakes
inattention · slackness · dereliction · irresponsibility · heedlessness · disregard · oversight · apathy · indolence · idleness
dilatorinesshaste
Excessive quickness
swiftness · quickness · rapidity · speediness · fastness
dilatorinesseagerness
Intense willingness to act
diligence · industriousness · assiduity · zealousness · keenness
dilate, dilated, dilatory, dilation, dilates, dilating, dilator, dilatation, dilatorily