kicked the can down the road
Deferred the problem
Kicked the can down the road means postponed dealing with a problem rather than resolving it: Congress kicked the can down the road with another temporary budget fix.
The image is of someone idly kicking a can ahead of them instead of picking it up—making progress without actually getting anywhere.
Often used critically to describe politicians or leaders who defer difficult decisions.
- postponementDelaying to later
- stallingIntentional delay tactics
- buying timeDelaying to gain advantage
- running out the clockConsuming remaining game time strategically
- shirkingAvoiding obligatory tasks
passing the buck · evasion · sidestepping · sweeping under the rug · neglecting · deferment · snowballing · accountability · duty · ripple effect · obligation · future generations · domino effect · chain reaction · dragging one's feet · temporizing · escalation · bypassing
kicked the can down the roadbit the bullet
Endured something difficult
took the bull by the horns · grasped the nettle · faced the music · took the plunge · cut the Gordian knot
kicked the can down the roadpaid the piper
Faced delayed consequences