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 of hold off

• postpone
• delay
• defer
• put over

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

Stahla encouraged those with lawns to hold off on watering their grass, noting that is will survive the dry conditions for a few more weeks. —Dillon Thomas, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026

Trump, meanwhile, is trying to jam through an unrelated voter-ID bill and has told Republicans to hold off on a DHS funding deal with Democrats until the SAVE America Act is passed. —Justin Papp, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2026

The cast has taken to social media to express their thoughts on the network’s decision to hold off on the franchise. —Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2026

Who the Avs will play in the first round first depends on their ability to hold off the Dallas Stars for the top spot in the Central Division and the Western Conference. —Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 22 Mar. 2026

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