deadliner

Deadliner is a colloquial term used to describe a person who consistently produces work by a set deadline, or who operates under tight deadlines. The term is informal and most common in fields such as journalism, publishing, advertising, software development, and academia, though it can apply to any deadline-driven work. A deadliner is typically seen as reliable in meeting delivery dates, adept at prioritizing tasks, and able to maintain focus under pressure.

The word is derived from deadline with the agent suffix -er; the exact origin is unclear, but it has appeared in English-language workplace slang since the mid-20th century. Variants include deadlining (the act of working to a deadline) and deadlined (having been constrained by a deadline). In practice, being a deadliner can be viewed positively as a sign of efficiency, or negatively as an indicator of overwork or brittle scheduling, depending on context and workload.

See also: Deadline, deadline-driven work, deadline pressure, time management, project management, journalism.