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
Week 9 highlights include Clayton Valley Charter holding off Campolindo for a big league victory, Serra rallying to beat Archbishop Mitty, Live Oak outlasting Branham and San Jose rolling over Prospect.
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Darren Sabedra, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
Cagliari kept 20 clean sheets and this, combined with Gigi Riva scoring half of their goals (21 of 42) was enough to hold off second-place Inter and become the first — and so far only — team from outside the mainland to win the Italian top flight.
—Will Jeanes, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
The Cardinals simply weren't able to hold off the Packers' late rally.
—Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Eichel on Saturday had just one shot on goal and was held off the scoresheet.
—Adam H. Beasley, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hold off
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Darren Sabedra, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
Cagliari kept 20 clean sheets and this, combined with Gigi Riva scoring half of their goals (21 of 42) was enough to hold off second-place Inter and become the first — and so far only — team from outside the mainland to win the Italian top flight.
—Will Jeanes, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
The Cardinals simply weren't able to hold off the Packers' late rally.
—Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Eichel on Saturday had just one shot on goal and was held off the scoresheet.
—Adam H. Beasley, Miami Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
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 29 Oct. 2025.
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