hold off (on)

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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold off (on)
Verb
  • Therefore the May revise, as it’s dubbed, is likely to contain even more expedient fixes that may postpone the day of fiscal reckoning until Newsom’s governorship ends two years hence but will continue to plague his successor and the Legislature.
    Dan Walters, Mercury News, 9 May 2025
  • Weather or unforeseen circumstances could postpone the closures, the releases state.
    Gael Langdon, Arkansas Online, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • Early morning flights are typically the least likely to be canceled or delayed, and taking nonstop flights whenever possible reduces your chances of an issue during your journey.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • Roughly 11% of flights arriving at Newark Airport are delayed by an average of two hours, as of 9:15 a.m. EDT, according to data from FlightAware.
    Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Commissioners deferred the vote on the plan to June 9 over landscaping concerns.
    Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 16 May 2025
  • And when Ohtani became a free agent, Moreno could have said yes to the same terms the Dodgers did — 10 years, $700 million, with all but $20 million deferred.
    Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Strowman, 41, had become the still-fierce giant whose primary job was to put over strong up-and-comers like Fatu and Bronson Reed before him.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
  • And that live-action look included Forest Whitaker sporting a very unique accessory in the form of a mask that Saw would periodically put over his face and inhale from.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 2 May 2025
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.

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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 21 May. 2025.

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