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

One of the best games of the week was Corona del Mar holding off La Serna 30-24. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

Highs will struggle to get out of the 60s (low 70s for the city), with the better chance for more widespread rain holding off until Tuesday. — Andrew Kozak, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026

Those points would prove pivotal in ASU holding off a furious KU comeback in the last nine minutes. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2026

Carlos Del Rio-Wilson accounted for 249 yards and two touchdowns and Marshall held off Missouri State for a 30-24 win on Saturday night. — ABC News, 20 Sep. 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