postpone

verb

post·pone | \ (ˌ)pōs(t)-ˈpōn

postponed; postponing

Definition of postpone

transitive verb

1 : to put off to a later time : defer

2a : to place later (as in a sentence) than the normal position in English postpone an adjective

b : to place later in order of precedence, preference, or importance

Other Words from postpone Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about postpone

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Choose the Right Synonym for postpone

defer, postpone, suspend, stay mean to delay an action or proceeding. defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time. deferred buying a car until spring postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time. the game is postponed until Saturday suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied. business will be suspended while repairs are underway stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority. the governor stayed the execution

Examples of postpone in a Sentence

The baseball game was postponed until tomorrow because of rain. we'll have to postpone a decision until we have all the information

Recent Examples on the Web

Brookfield also postponed its display and rescheduled for Thursday night. — Meg Jones, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Some communities reschedule fireworks shows for Thursday after storms move through," 4 July 2018 Conmebol, South American soccer’s governing body, made the decision to postpone the match more than two hours after the original kickoff time and after two Boca players had returned from the hospital. — Joshua Robinson, WSJ, "South America’s Soccer Final Postponed After Attack on Boca Juniors Team," 24 Nov. 2018 Public hearings for the zoning applications were postponed until August. — Austen Erblat, Sun-Sentinel.com, "HomeSafe CEO responds to opposition on proposed facility near Wellington," 13 July 2018 The judge did not immediately rule on the request to postpone the hearing. — Fox News, "Lawsuit alleging abuse of immigrant teens to move forward," 4 July 2018 The decision to postpone hiring two additional officers came as the board approved the transit system’s $2.3 billion budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. — Michael Cabanatuan, San Francisco Chronicle, "BART directors to evaluate program to crack down on fare cheats; delay expansion," 14 June 2018 Experts said the decision to postpone the drills was a win for Beijing, who have long sought a way to drive a wedge between the US and its East Asian allies. — Ben Westcott, CNN, "Pompeo: No sanctions relief for North Korea until complete denuclearization," 14 June 2018 Speaking to a reporter after the court hearing ended, Mayor Catherine Blakespear said Monday's decision to postpone the hearing was good news for Encinitas voters. — Barbara Henry, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Judge gives Encinitas more time to come up with state-mandated housing plan," 30 Apr. 2018 The decision to postpone Jackson’s confirmation hearing, which was scheduled for this week, was bipartisan, and lawmakers from both parties expressed concerns about the allegations. — Margaret Hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "After Botching Ronny Jackson’s VA Nomination, Trump Doubles Down," 25 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'postpone.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.