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

The release was put off several weeks by the government shutdown, which had caused a halt to all data collection and economic reports. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2025

Slay put off reporting to the Bills to take time to contemplate his future, his agent Drew Rosenhaus said on Thursday. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 5 Dec. 2025

A lot who are put off by the MAGA form of governance. —Joshua Sammons, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025

Angell was put off by the skyboxes. —John Seabrook, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025

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