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

There are also reports that the couple will attend fellow Chiefs player JuJu Smith-Schuster’s wedding in California the weekend of July 10, putting off a bigger honeymoon even further. — Ashleigh Carter, InStyle, 10 July 2026

Mills initially expressed ambivalence about the race and put off a decision until last fall. — Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 9 July 2026

King Charles must not have been too put off by the nearly universal criticism of the portrait, as the Royal Collection recently accepted Yeo’s gift of the large study. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026

However, the company hasn't offered a timeline for a public market debut and is reportedly putting off those plans until at least next year. — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 9 July 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