diff --git a/logger.go b/logger.go
index 9b45b07b0..475a4801e 100644
--- a/logger.go
+++ b/logger.go
@@ -184,6 +184,23 @@ func (log *Logger) With(fields ...Field) *Logger {
 	return l
 }
 
+// WithLazy creates a child logger and lazily encodes structured context if the
+// child logger is ever further chained with With() or is written to with any
+// of the log level methods. Until the occurs, the logger may retain references
+// to references in objects, etc, and logging will reflect the state of an object
+// at the time of logging, not the time of WithLazy(). However, is a worthwhile
+// performance optimisation if one creates a contextual logger and the likelihood
+// of using it is low (e.g. in error or rarely taken branches).
+// Fields added to the child don't affect the parent, and vice versa.
+func (log *Logger) WithLazy(fields ...Field) *Logger {
+	if len(fields) == 0 {
+		return log
+	}
+	return log.WithOptions(WrapCore(func(core zapcore.Core) zapcore.Core {
+		return zapcore.NewLazyWith(core, fields)
+	}))
+}
+
 // Level reports the minimum enabled level for this logger.
 //
 // For NopLoggers, this is [zapcore.InvalidLevel].
diff --git a/logger_bench_test.go b/logger_bench_test.go
index c7207afd5..431cce529 100644
--- a/logger_bench_test.go
+++ b/logger_bench_test.go
@@ -199,17 +199,28 @@ func BenchmarkAddCallerAndStacktrace(b *testing.B) {
 		}
 	})
 }
+
 func Benchmark5WithsUsed(b *testing.B) {
-	benchmarkWithUsed(b, 5, true)
+	benchmarkWithUsed(b, (*Logger).With, 5, true)
 }
 
 // This benchmark will be used in future as a
 // baseline for improving
 func Benchmark5WithsNotUsed(b *testing.B) {
-	benchmarkWithUsed(b, 5, false)
+	benchmarkWithUsed(b, (*Logger).With, 5, false)
+}
+
+func Benchmark5WithLazysUsed(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkWithUsed(b, (*Logger).WithLazy, 5, true)
+}
+
+// This benchmark will be used in future as a
+// baseline for improving
+func Benchmark5WithLazysNotUsed(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkWithUsed(b, (*Logger).WithLazy, 5, false)
 }
 
-func benchmarkWithUsed(b *testing.B, N int, use bool) {
+func benchmarkWithUsed(b *testing.B, withMethodExpr func(*Logger, ...zapcore.Field) *Logger, N int, use bool) {
 	keys := make([]string, N)
 	values := make([]string, N)
 	for i := 0; i < N; i++ {
@@ -221,7 +232,7 @@ func benchmarkWithUsed(b *testing.B, N int, use bool) {
 
 	withBenchedLogger(b, func(log *Logger) {
 		for i := 0; i < N; i++ {
-			log = log.With(String(keys[i], values[i]))
+			log = withMethodExpr(log, String(keys[i], values[i]))
 		}
 		if use {
 			log.Info("used")
diff --git a/logger_test.go b/logger_test.go
index 5b1d77b97..43ac2b43b 100644
--- a/logger_test.go
+++ b/logger_test.go
@@ -125,57 +125,105 @@ func TestLoggerInitialFields(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestLoggerWith(t *testing.T) {
 	fieldOpts := opts(Fields(Int("foo", 42)))
-	withLogger(t, DebugLevel, fieldOpts, func(logger *Logger, logs *observer.ObservedLogs) {
-		// Child loggers should have copy-on-write semantics, so two children
-		// shouldn't stomp on each other's fields or affect the parent's fields.
-		logger.With(String("one", "two")).Info("")
-		logger.With(String("three", "four")).Info("")
-		logger.With(String("five", "six")).With(String("seven", "eight")).Info("")
-		logger.Info("")
-
-		assert.Equal(t, []observer.LoggedEntry{
-			{Context: []Field{Int("foo", 42), String("one", "two")}},
-			{Context: []Field{Int("foo", 42), String("three", "four")}},
-			{Context: []Field{Int("foo", 42), String("five", "six"), String("seven", "eight")}},
-			{Context: []Field{Int("foo", 42)}},
-		}, logs.AllUntimed(), "Unexpected cross-talk between child loggers.")
-	})
+	for _, tt := range []struct {
+		name           string
+		withMethodExpr func(*Logger, ...Field) *Logger
+	}{
+		{
+			"regular non lazy logger",
+			(*Logger).With,
+		},
+		{
+			"lazy with logger",
+			(*Logger).WithLazy,
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			withLogger(t, DebugLevel, fieldOpts, func(logger *Logger, logs *observer.ObservedLogs) {
+				// Child loggers should have copy-on-write semantics, so two children
+				// shouldn't stomp on each other's fields or affect the parent's fields.
+				tt.withMethodExpr(logger, String("one", "two")).Info("")
+				tt.withMethodExpr(logger, String("three", "four")).Info("")
+				tt.withMethodExpr(logger, String("five", "six")).With(String("seven", "eight")).Info("")
+				logger.Info("")
+
+				assert.Equal(t, []observer.LoggedEntry{
+					{Context: []Field{Int("foo", 42), String("one", "two")}},
+					{Context: []Field{Int("foo", 42), String("three", "four")}},
+					{Context: []Field{Int("foo", 42), String("five", "six"), String("seven", "eight")}},
+					{Context: []Field{Int("foo", 42)}},
+				}, logs.AllUntimed(), "Unexpected cross-talk between child loggers.")
+			})
+		})
+	}
 }
 
 func TestLoggerWithCaptures(t *testing.T) {
-	enc := zapcore.NewJSONEncoder(zapcore.EncoderConfig{
-		MessageKey: "m",
-	})
+	for _, tt := range []struct {
+		name           string
+		withMethodExpr func(*Logger, ...Field) *Logger
+		wantJSON       [2]string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:           "regular with captures arguments at time of With",
+			withMethodExpr: (*Logger).With,
+			wantJSON: [2]string{
+				`{
+					"m": "hello",
+					"a": [0],
+					"b": [1]
+				}`,
+				`{
+					"m": "world",
+					"a": [0],
+					"c": [2]
+				}`,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name:           "lazy with captures arguments at time of With or Logging",
+			withMethodExpr: (*Logger).WithLazy,
+			wantJSON: [2]string{
+				`{
+					"m": "hello",
+					"a": [1],
+					"b": [1]
+				}`,
+				`{
+					"m": "world",
+					"a": [1],
+					"c": [2]
+				}`,
+			},
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			enc := zapcore.NewJSONEncoder(zapcore.EncoderConfig{
+				MessageKey: "m",
+			})
 
-	var bs ztest.Buffer
-	logger := New(zapcore.NewCore(enc, &bs, DebugLevel))
+			var bs ztest.Buffer
+			logger := New(zapcore.NewCore(enc, &bs, DebugLevel))
 
-	x := 0
-	arr := zapcore.ArrayMarshalerFunc(func(enc zapcore.ArrayEncoder) error {
-		enc.AppendInt(x)
-		return nil
-	})
+			x := 0
+			arr := zapcore.ArrayMarshalerFunc(func(enc zapcore.ArrayEncoder) error {
+				enc.AppendInt(x)
+				return nil
+			})
 
-	// Demonstrate the arguments are captured when With() and Info() are invoked.
-	logger = logger.With(Array("a", arr))
-	x = 1
-	logger.Info("hello", Array("b", arr))
-	x = 2
-	logger = logger.With(Array("c", arr))
-	logger.Info("world")
-
-	if lines := bs.Lines(); assert.Len(t, lines, 2) {
-		assert.JSONEq(t, `{
-			"m": "hello",
-			"a": [0],
-			"b": [1]
-		}`, lines[0], "Unexpected output from first log.")
-
-		assert.JSONEq(t, `{
-			"m": "world",
-			"a": [0],
-			"c": [2]
-		}`, lines[1], "Unexpected output from second log.")
+			// Demonstrate the arguments are captured when With() and Info() are invoked.
+			logger = tt.withMethodExpr(logger, Array("a", arr))
+			x = 1
+			logger.Info("hello", Array("b", arr))
+			x = 2
+			logger = tt.withMethodExpr(logger, Array("c", arr))
+			logger.Info("world")
+
+			if lines := bs.Lines(); assert.Len(t, lines, 2) {
+				assert.JSONEq(t, tt.wantJSON[0], lines[0], "Unexpected output from first log.")
+				assert.JSONEq(t, tt.wantJSON[1], lines[1], "Unexpected output from second log.")
+			}
+		})
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/zapcore/lazy_with.go b/zapcore/lazy_with.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0c7cce377
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zapcore/lazy_with.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2023 Uber Technologies, Inc.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+// of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+// in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+// to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+// copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+// furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+// all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+// IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+// AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+// LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+// OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+// THE SOFTWARE.
+
+package zapcore
+
+import "sync"
+
+type lazyWithCore struct {
+	Core
+	sync.Once
+	fields []Field
+}
+
+var _ Core = (*lazyWithCore)(nil)
+
+// NewLazyWith wraps a Core with a "lazy" ore that will only encode fields if
+// the logger is written to (or is further chained in a lon-lazy manner).
+func NewLazyWith(core Core, fields []Field) Core {
+	return &lazyWithCore{
+		Core:   core,
+		fields: fields,
+	}
+}
+
+func (d *lazyWithCore) initOnce() {
+	d.Once.Do(func() {
+		d.Core = d.Core.With(d.fields)
+	})
+}
+
+func (d *lazyWithCore) With(fields []Field) Core {
+	d.initOnce()
+	return d.Core.With(fields)
+}
+
+func (d *lazyWithCore) Check(e Entry, ce *CheckedEntry) *CheckedEntry {
+	d.initOnce()
+	return d.Core.Check(e, ce)
+}