hold off

verb

held off; holding off; holds off

transitive verb

1

: to block from an objective : delay

2

: to defer action on : postpone

hold off a decision

3

: to fight to a standoff : withstand

intransitive verb

: to defer or temporarily stop doing something

Synonyms

• defer
• delay
• hold over
• hold up
• lay over
• postpone
• put off
• put over
• remit
• shelve

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

Cal: Ohio State transfer Devin Brown is the front-runner based on experience, but the Golden Bears are another program that will hold off making a final call until camp. —Antonio Morales, New York Times, 2 May 2025

According to The Game Business Newsletter, some major publishers deliberately held off on confirming their games for Q4 to avoid competing against GTA VI. —Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 2 May 2025

But by early 2018, the rally stalled, as the European Central Bank (ECB) held off on rate hikes even as the Fed kept tightening. —Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Businesses are pumping the breaks on expansions and investments the same way families are holding off on big-ticket buys. —Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for hold off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

hold off

verb

1

: to keep away : withstand

held off the attack

2

: postpone, delay

decided to hold off on the decision

will hold off production for the summer