To kick the can down the road (often referred to simply as kicking the can) means to avoid or delay dealing with a problem, especially by enacting temporary stopgap solutions in the hope that a permanent fix will become someone else’s responsibility later.
Full Meaning & Political Context
- Core Meaning: Procrastinating on an urgent issue; deferring a difficult decision to a future date.
- Political & Corporate Usage: The phrase is heavily used in American politics and business reporting. It refers specifically to repeatedly passing temporary budget extensions, band-aid legislation, or short-term fixes to avoid facing difficult financial or political trade-offs.
“Kick the Can” vs. “Kick at the Can”
Searchers often confuse two similar expressions that stem from different regional backgrounds:
- Kick the Can Down the Road (US/Global): Delaying or deferring an issue to avoid solving it.
- Kick at the Can (Canadian English): An opportunity or attempt to achieve something (e.g., “giving it another kick at the can” means taking another shot at a goal).
Origin of Kick the Can Down the Road
This phrase has been used figuratively since the early to mid-1980s. It is often claimed to derive from the children’s game “kick the can,” played since the great depression. This is a case of folk-etymology and over-analysis.
The Real Imagery
The idiom does not derive from the rules of the game. Instead, it comes from the simple, universal habit of idly kicking an empty tin can along a road or sidewalk, kicking it a short distance ahead, walking up to it, and kicking it further along over and over again without ever actually picking it up or disposing of it.
The Canadian idiom ‘kick at the can’ meaning “an opportunity to achieve something or do something,” that may have actually derived from the children’s game.
Media Timeline
- Literary Roots: The physical act was used metaphorically in American literature throughout the mid-20th century to describe someone wandering aimlessly or putting off a task.
- Political Boom (1980s–Present): The phrase entered formal political jargon in the early 1980s during US congressional budget debates and became a staple of modern political commentary.
Sentence Examples
“Congress keeps kicking the can down the road on gun-control legislation while we are meanwhile facing an epidemic of gun violence.”
“We can’t keep borrowing from the other location to fund this failing one. If we keep kicking the can down the road, the entire company will fail.”
“Our grandkids will be stuck with all our problems. We’ve been kicking the can down the road for years.”
“All I’m saying is don’t kick that can down the road. You need to look at your relationship instead of biting off the next step.” — The Switch (2010)
“I figured eventually I would sort out what I wanted to do, but then I got the job with you and just kept kicking the can down the road.” — The Exes: Oh Brother Here Art Thou (2014)
Similar and Related Idioms
- Put on the Back Burner: to give something a lower priority or to delay giving it attention or working on it.
- Pass the Buck: To shift responsibility or blame for a problem to someone else.
- Put on Ice: To temporarily suspend or halt progress on a project, plan, or discussion, keeping it entirely on hold until conditions change.
- Table an Issue: To formally delay the consideration or discussion of a topic, removing it from the immediate agenda to address it during a future session.
- Drag One’s Feet (or Heels): To deliberately act with extreme slowness, hesitation, or resistance, often as a passive way to delay a decision or avoid an unwanted task.
- Stall for Time / Buy Time: To use evasive tactics, temporary maneuvers, or intentional delays in order to gain extra time before a final action must be taken or an answer must be given.