foot-dragging
Reluctance to act
Foot-dragging is deliberate slowness or reluctance to act, especially when someone is stalling to avoid doing something they don't want to do: The committee's foot-dragging on the proposal frustrated everyone.
The image is of someone literally dragging their feet rather than walking with purpose.
As an adjective, it describes those who delay: foot-dragging bureaucrats.
Intentional delay tactics
- procrastinationHabitual task avoidance
- dawdlingLeisurely time-wasting
- dilly-dallyingWasting time indecisively
- temporizingDeliberately delaying decision-making
postponing · deferring · tarrying · lingering · lagging · shilly-shallying · lollygagging · prolonging
Impeding forward progress
- impedingBlocking forward motion
- hinderingCreating obstacles to progress
- hamperingInterfering with progress
- thwartingObstructing intended outcomes
sabotage · stonewalling · interference · bottleneck · logjam · gridlock · roadblock · bureaucratic delay
Failure to follow requirements
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- uncooperativenessRefusal to work together
- recalcitranceStubborn refusal to obey
- intransigenceRefusal to compromise
insubordination · stubbornness · passive resistance · pushback · opposition · dissent · contrariness · obstinacy
Unwillingness to proceed
- unwillingnessDisinclination to act
- disinclinationLack of desire
- reticenceHabitual verbal restraint
- half-heartednessAbsence of genuine effort
lukewarmness · unenthusiasm · begrudging · cold feet · second thoughts · misgivings · reservations · qualms
stalling
Intentional delay tactics
- procrastinationHabitual task avoidance
- dawdlingLeisurely time-wasting
- dilly-dallyingWasting time indecisively
temporizing · postponing · deferring · tarrying · lingering · lagging · shilly-shallying · lollygagging · prolonging · stonewalling
blocking
Impeding forward progress
- impedingBlocking forward motion
- hinderingCreating obstacles to progress
- hamperingInterfering with progress
thwarting · sabotage · stonewalling · interference · bottleneck · logjam · gridlock · roadblock · bureaucratic delay · red tape
noncompliance
Failure to follow requirements
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- uncooperativenessRefusal to work together
- recalcitranceStubborn refusal to obey
intransigence · insubordination · stubbornness · passive resistance · pushback · opposition · dissent · contrariness · obstinacy · civil disobedience
hesitancy
Unwillingness to proceed
- unwillingnessDisinclination to act
- disinclinationLack of desire
- reticenceHabitual verbal restraint
half-heartedness · lukewarmness · unenthusiasm · begrudging · cold feet · second thoughts · misgivings · reservations · qualms · ambivalence
- bureaucracybureaucracy, bureaucrat, bureaucrats, red tape, civil service
- delaysdelays, delay, delayed, postponement, postpone
- reluctancereluctance, unwillingness, disinclination, hesitation, reticence
- Resistance tacticsrefusal, defiance, rebellion, protest, boycott
- slownessslow, sluggish, leisurely, unhurried, crawl
- stallingstall, stalling, delay, hesitate, procrastinate
foot-dragginghaste
Excessive quickness
speed · quickness · swiftness · promptness · alacrity
foot-draggingeagerness
Intense willingness to act
enthusiasm · willingness · zeal · keenness · readiness
foot-draggingdecisiveness
Ability to choose firmly
resolution · determination · commitment · taking the bull by the horns · forthrightness
foot, drag, football, dragging, dragged, footnote, footpath, drags, foot-dragger