put off

verb

put off; putting off; puts off

transitive verb

1

a

: disconcert

b

: repel

2

a

: to hold back to a later time

b

: to induce to wait

put the bill collector off

3

: to rid oneself of : take off

4

: to sell or pass fraudulently

Synonyms

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

Examples of put off in a Sentence

never put off until tomorrow what you can do today

put off your coat and stay awhile

Recent Examples on the Web

Musk's leadership of DOGE and alignment with the Trump administration had put off some car buyers, with sales slumping in Europe, China and key U.S. markets like California. —Chris Kirkham, USA Today, 7 June 2025

In an era when Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) cast a long shadow, Simons’ hefty fee might put off suitors, despite his abundant talent. —Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 2 June 2025

The judge put off a decision on whether to hold Uthmeier in contempt on Thursday, but grilled his attorneys over his position on her rulings. —Vivienne Serret, Miami Herald, 29 May 2025

Rather than directly discounting the TV by £200, Samsung is likely hoping that some people will be put off by the rigmarole of going through the claims process. —Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for put off

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

Kids Definition

put off

verb

1

: to cause negative feelings in

your sloppy appearance put them off

2

: to hold back to a later time : defer

put off my visit to the dentist

3

: to rid oneself of

put off your coat