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 of put off

• 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

Hospital officials said no one should delay treatment or put off appointments, but patients should be alert for any direct updates from their health care providers. —Christina Fan, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026

Customers are also putting off purchases due to the back and forth on tariff levels. —Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026

Who among us hasn’t put off icky things such as a tedious work assignment, a fridge deep clean or a difficult conversation? —Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Jan. 2026

Millions of Americans are shaving down their grocery budgets and putting off buying a home as wages fail to meet rising costs of living. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

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