Synonyms of defer

defer

verb

di-ˈfər 

as in to postpone

to assign to a later time

we agreed to defer a discussion of the issue until we had more information

Synonyms & Similar Words

• postpone
• delay
• wait
• put over
• remit
• shelve
• suspend
• put off
• hesitate
• lay over
• hold over
• hold off (on)
• hold up
• pause
• stay
• slow
• prolong
• lengthen
• detain
• retard
• stretch (out)
• extend
• protract

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• do
• work (on)
• act
• deal (with)
• decide (upon)

Synonym Chooser

How is the word defer distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of defer are postpone, stay, and suspend. While all these words mean "to delay an action or proceeding," defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

deferred buying a car until spring

When could postpone be used to replace defer?

While in some cases nearly identical to defer, postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.

the game is postponed until Saturday

When is it sensible to use stay instead of defer?

While the synonyms stay and defer are close in meaning, stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.

the governor stayed the execution

Where would suspend be a reasonable alternative to defer?

The words suspend and defer are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied.

business will be suspended while repairs are underway

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of defer

The grant was awarded, and later Julien went before the Miami-Dade County Commission and persuaded them to build a cultural arts center, not just another teen center where children were babysat while their dreams of the arts were being deferred. —Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025

While many executives are pausing on big hires or deferring large projects, Dave Anderson, Founder of TSC Security, argues that protecting your company’s digital assets should not be placed on the back burner. —Matt Emma, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025

The Chargers won the coin-toss, deferred and kicked to the Chiefs. —Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025

Projects will be deferred or canceled, expansions will be rethought, hours and services will be reduced and prices will be pushed up for residents and visitors. —Mark Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025

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