hold off (on)

verb

Definition of hold off (on)next
as in to postpone
to assign to a later time we held off on accepting the invitation in the hopes that something better would come along

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold off (on)
  1. postpone
  2. delay
  3. defer
  4. put over
Verb
  • Virginia July 3 Falls Church Civic Jam - postponed to July 24.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • For international taxpayers who have postponed coming into compliance, that trend should not be ignored.
    — Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of postpone
Verb
  • Trump is speaking now to a crowd filling the National Mall after being delayed by inclement weather.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • Attendees were told to shelter in nearby government buildings, and the celebration was delayed by a few hours before going on as scheduled.
    — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 5 July 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • Last month, the company's pay TV subsidiary Dish DBS filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after deferring debt payments.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • Another city director who is out of town also had asked that the measure be deferred, Webb said.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 7 July 2026
Definition of defer
Verb
  • Drone strikes and shelling have targeted civilian infrastructure including schools, markets, fuel and water stations, putting over 500,000 people at risk.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The company’s Super+ membership is approaching one million members and has helped customers put over $1 billion back in their pockets.
    — Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 7 July 2026
Definition of put over
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.

Browse Nearby Words

hold off
hold off (on)
hold on
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Cite this Entry

“Hold off (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20off%20%28on%29. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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