What does temporizer mean?
A temporizer is a person who delays action or postpones a decision, especially by evading a commitment, prolonging discussion, or making excuses. The word is formal and commonly critical: calling someone a temporizer suggests that their apparent caution is a way of avoiding responsibility rather than a rational response to uncertainty. It is often used in political, institutional, or legal contexts, where one person's hesitation can affect others, though it can apply to any situation involving postponed action. A temporizer therefore differs from someone merely considering a decision carefully; the term implies the deliberate use of delay. The noun comes from temporize, ultimately from Latin temporizari, “to delay or wait,” which is related to tempus, “time.” Its history gives the word a memorable implication: to gain time is to refuse to act decisively. Because temporizer can be dismissive, it should be used only where the delay is genuinely evasive and the evidence supports that characterization.
nounA person who delays or postpones action, especially by evading a commitment or using expedients to gain time.
- A person who delays action or evades commitment by gaining time, prolonging discussion, or making excuses.
"His critics regarded him as a temporizer who delayed reform whenever it threatened his own interests."
"Rather than confront the committee, the minister continued to play the temporizer."
"The article describes her as a temporizer who delayed the project whenever funding became uncertain."
The plural refers to multiple people who delay action or evade commitments.
"The committee grew impatient with the temporizers who refused to make a decision."
From the Latin tempus, meaning “time,” a temporizer is someone who stretches time to avoid acting.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does temporizer come from?
Temporizer was formed from temporize with the suffix -er, identifying a person who delays or evades action. Temporize comes from Latin temporizari, meaning “to delay or wait,” ultimately derived from tempus, the Latin word for “time.” Related English words include temporary, temporal, and temporality.
Related word forms
How temporizer is actually used
The word is formal, predominantly written, and commonly critical or derogatory. It implies deliberate evasion rather than thoughtful consideration or a reasonable delay.
Easily confused with temporizer
Temporiser is the British spelling of the same word; both forms mean a person who delays action or evades commitment.