1
as in turned back
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2
as in put off
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for held off
Verb
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Bernhard’s barely contained incestuous desires (The Loser is only one of a suite of works about brother-sister love and hate, alongside Correction, The Lime Works, and Concrete) are the product of individual psychologies run amok and turned back on themselves, the offshoots of artistic monomania.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026 -
Al Otro Lado, HIAS and other groups who provided assistance to the asylum seekers who were turned back at the border argued this case is about much more than the narrow legal definition of a few words.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Is the instant reaction to be put off your guard or wonder how this person even found themselves at your show?—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
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In the center of town, Perryville House—with its garden-facing suites and Georgian architecture—makes a compelling case for putting off your departure.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Whether the tanker is allowed to dock, turned away or intercepted at sea could shape not only Cuba’s immediate energy outlook, but also the broader balance of power playing out across the region.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
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Frankel turned away all 21 shots in goal for the Fleet (10-5-2-4) in her seventh career shutout.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In April 2024, Mexico broke off diplomatic relations with Ecuador following a military raid on the Mexican Embassy in Quito.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
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His future wife broke off their engagement in 1960.—
Eric Olson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When these middlemen resisted British pressure, Britain protected its commercial interests mercilessly and violently.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
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Her aunt had resisted leaving the capital for two weeks, but was finally convinced to evacuate.—
Jason Rezaian,
New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The war then deferred economic growth.—
Shane Harris,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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When operating costs rise but revenue is capped, maintenance is deferred, repairs are delayed, and capital improvements are abandoned.—
Ann Korchak,
New York Daily News,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Tea Party protests that began to erupt in 2009 among conservatives opposed to President Barack Obama were credited with boosting Republican turnout in the 2010 midterms, when the GOP gained 63 seats and control of the House of Representatives in a red wave.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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When the Republican governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker, signed a bill that gave two hundred and fifty million taxpayer dollars to the hedge-fund managers who owned the Milwaukee Bucks for a new stadium, the libertarian Cato Institute was among the groups that opposed it.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Arab Media Forum, scheduled for April, has been postponed to September 2026, with organizers saying the decision was taken to ensure the event meets its scale and ambition.—
Emma Graham,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
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All civil and criminal court cases have been postponed, and court deadlines have been temporarily paused.—
CBS News Atlanta Digital Staff,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Held off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20off. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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