hold off
verb
held off; holding off; holds off
1
: to block from an objective : delay
2
: to defer action on : postpone
hold off a decision
3
: to fight to a standoff : withstand
: to defer or temporarily stop doing something
Examples of hold off in a Sentence
we held off on accepting the invitation in the hopes that something better would come along
Recent Examples on the Web
Even with an earlier final frost, though, gardeners should monitor soil temperatures and hold off on warm-season transplants until the soil is consistently warm.
—
Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
While some are tweaking portfolios at the margins, most are holding off on major shifts for now.
—Selcuk Gokoluk, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
The ship bears the name of a Marine Corps Reserve member who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1952 for holding off enemy forces and shielding fellow Marines during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The 43-21 Celtics led by as many as 26 points in the second half, then held off a late charge by the 39-25 Cavs, who now trail second-place Boston by four games in the Eastern Conference standings.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold off
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Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Mar. 2026
While some are tweaking portfolios at the margins, most are holding off on major shifts for now.
—Selcuk Gokoluk, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
The ship bears the name of a Marine Corps Reserve member who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1952 for holding off enemy forces and shielding fellow Marines during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
The 43-21 Celtics led by as many as 26 points in the second half, then held off a late charge by the 39-25 Cavs, who now trail second-place Boston by four games in the Eastern Conference standings.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hold off
Cite this Entry
“Hold off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold%20off. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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