Synonyms of defer

defer

verb

di-ˈfər 

as in to postpone

to assign to a later time

we agreed to defer a discussion of the issue until we had more information

Synonyms & Similar Words

• postpone
• delay
• wait
• put over
• remit
• shelve
• suspend
• put off
• hesitate
• lay over
• hold over
• hold off (on)
• hold up
• pause
• stay
• slow
• prolong
• lengthen
• detain
• retard
• stretch (out)
• extend
• protract

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• do
• work (on)
• act
• deal (with)
• decide (upon)

Synonym Chooser

How is the word defer distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of defer are postpone, stay, and suspend. While all these words mean "to delay an action or proceeding," defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

deferred buying a car until spring

When could postpone be used to replace defer?

While in some cases nearly identical to defer, postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.

the game is postponed until Saturday

When is it sensible to use stay instead of defer?

While the synonyms stay and defer are close in meaning, stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.

the governor stayed the execution

Where would suspend be a reasonable alternative to defer?

The words suspend and defer are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied.

business will be suspended while repairs are underway

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of defer

Omar Ahmad deferred comment to his son, who could not be immediately reached for comment. —David Clarey, jsonline.com, 24 Sep. 2025

Due to financial concerns, Supervisor Phil Serna led a motion to defer the discussion until after the 2025-2026 county budget passed. —Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2025

In fact, while European drug regulators strongly encourage companies to disclose clinical trial data early in the process, firms can defer the release of study data for up to seven years after trial completion or until the drug goes on the market – whichever occurs first. —Lucy Xiaolu Wang, The Conversation, 23 Sep. 2025

The relief allows farmers and ranchers to defer capital gains taxes on livestock sold due to drought. —Aliss Higham, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025

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