Lazy

Lazy is an adjective used to describe a person, action, or disposition characterized by an unwillingness to work or use effort. In everyday language it can refer to a transient mood, a habit, or an overall pattern of low energy or motivation. The term is often subjective and culturally mediated; what one person calls lazy, another may describe as prudent rest, self-care, or a temporary lull. Societal judgments of laziness are common and can affect self-esteem and work outcomes.

Causes and context: Laziness is not always a simple trait. It can reflect motivational deficits, burnout, fatigue, depression, or environmental factors such as lack of resources, unclear goals, or unappealing tasks. At times it may result from poor habit formation or executive function challenges. Because labels of laziness can stigmatize, professionals emphasize distinguishing between deliberate choice and underlying difficulties.

In technology and science, the term lazy has specific technical meanings. Lazy evaluation delays computations until their results are needed, often improving efficiency in functional programming languages. Lazy loading and lazy initialization defer resource use until first access. These concepts aim to optimize performance and resource management.

Related terms include procrastination and inertia; in computing, lazy evaluation is a central technique.