temporize

verb

he'd been temporizing for weeks, hoping the problem would go away:

equivocate, procrastinate, play for time, play a waiting game, stall, use delaying tactics, avoid committing oneself, avoid making a decision, delay, hang back, beat around the bush, be evasive, prevaricate, be indecisive, hesitate;

British hum and haw;

US, informal kick the can down the road;

archaic palter;

rare tergiversate, use Fabian tactics.