put off

verb

put off; putting off; puts off
Synonyms of put offnext

transitive verb

1
a
: disconcert
b
: repel
2
a
: to hold back to a later time
b
: to induce to wait
put the bill collector off
3
: to rid oneself of : take off
4
: to sell or pass fraudulently

Synonyms of put off

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Examples of put off in a Sentence

never put off until tomorrow what you can do today put off your coat and stay awhile
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After winning the Jimmys, a lot of kids end up getting jobs and putting off or skipping college. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 26 June 2026 Most savvy shoppers these days are hardly put off by where an item sits in the store, and Chavarria says his menswear is often bought by women. — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 27 June 2026 Friends and couples are gathering around kitchen tables with laptops, snacks and the kind of nagging errands most people put off for months. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026 Don’t be put off by the 35 bar charts, said the Times Literary Supplement. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for put off

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of put off was in the 14th century

Rhymes for put off

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Browse Nearby Words

Putnam scale
put off
put-on
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Cite this Entry

“Put off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put%20off. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

put off

verb
1
: to cause negative feelings in
your sloppy appearance put them off
2
: to hold back to a later time : defer
put off my visit to the dentist
3
: to rid oneself of
put off your coat

More from Merriam-Webster on put off

Nglish: Translation of put off for Spanish Speakers

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