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

• postpone
• delay
• put over
• defer

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

Will younger consumers feel put off by a restaurant featuring an old man on its signs? —Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025

That can lead to deflation, or falling prices, that may prompt consumers to put off purchases, hobbling the economy. —Paul Davidson, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025

This year’s spring homebuying season, which is traditionally the busiest period of the year for the housing market, was a bust as stubbornly high mortgage rates put off many prospective homebuyers. —Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2025

Were you put off by Brabus’s decision to give the current-generation Mercedes-AMG SL a roof? —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 21 Aug. 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