as in postponing
to assign to a later time
we agreed to defer a discussion of the issue until we had more information
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Recent Examples of deferring
Hoyer made amends for his quiet winter by signing Bregman and acquiring starting pitcher Edward Cabrera in the same week, and Ricketts was absolved by finally opening his wallet and deferring $70 million like a real large-market owner.
—
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
But as IndieWire’s Ben Travers explained in his Season 2 review, the latest installments get bogged down by world-building and franchise positioning — effectively deferring emotional resolution and narrative momentum too long for a game or a TV show.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2025
Lowering or deferring royalties in the initial stage can help improve cash flows and fund faster expansion, Hasegawa said.
—Elaine Yu,anniek Bao, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
Few are buying machinery and some are deferring equipment maintenance, trimming fertilizer, seed and chemical costs, and trying to renegotiate farmland rental agreements.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
Smaltz declined to comment on this question, deferring through a spokesperson to his prepared testimony before the House committee.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 4 Dec. 2025
After the 49ers won the coin toss, the 49ers took the ball rather than deferring and getting the ball to open the second half.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
Is support for deferring Congress’ pay growing?
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 24 Nov. 2025
That may explain why some are donating their salaries instead of deferring pay.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2025
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
But as IndieWire’s Ben Travers explained in his Season 2 review, the latest installments get bogged down by world-building and franchise positioning — effectively deferring emotional resolution and narrative momentum too long for a game or a TV show.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2025
Lowering or deferring royalties in the initial stage can help improve cash flows and fund faster expansion, Hasegawa said.
—Elaine Yu,anniek Bao, CNBC, 17 Dec. 2025
Few are buying machinery and some are deferring equipment maintenance, trimming fertilizer, seed and chemical costs, and trying to renegotiate farmland rental agreements.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
Smaltz declined to comment on this question, deferring through a spokesperson to his prepared testimony before the House committee.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 4 Dec. 2025
After the 49ers won the coin toss, the 49ers took the ball rather than deferring and getting the ball to open the second half.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 1 Dec. 2025
Is support for deferring Congress’ pay growing?
—David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 24 Nov. 2025
That may explain why some are donating their salaries instead of deferring pay.
—Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deferring
Verb
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These conditions pose challenges for travel, so exercise extra caution on the road or consider postponing your trip if possible.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
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But Texas women's basketball is postponing its game against Arkansas.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
These conditions can make driving challenging, so exercise extreme caution on the road, and if possible, consider delaying your trip.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Notably, employers may also inform applicants upfront when specific convictions would disqualify them under law or company policy, preserving transparency while delaying individualized screening.—
Alonzo Martinez,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deferring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deferring. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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