held off

Definition of held offnext
past tense of hold off

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for held off
Verb
  • Ships were also observed queuing north of Larak Island, awaiting clearance, with multiple vessels being turned back in recent days, according to Windward.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The two toms turned back, gobbling every few steps.
    Charles Elliott, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • While Robinson's defense is seeking to put off his preliminary hearing for another six months, Kirk's widow, Erika Kirk, has filed a notice with the court invoking her right to seek a speedy trial as a victim under Utah law.
    Michael Ruiz , Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 31 Mar. 2026
  • In the post, the shopper described being put off by the condition of the shop and the behavior of two employees behind the counter.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Those without proof are being turned away and directed to standard parking or ride-share options, the blog noted.
    Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Policy wonks and software engineers were turned away at the door of the conservative tech think tank Foundation for American Innovation’s reception on Monday evening, held at MAGA hot spot Butterworth’s.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • After remarks from a handful of speakers, most of the crowd broke off into a march through the streets.
    Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Mar. 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • And the president's frustration with the alliance has appeared to increase as member countries have resisted his calls to send ships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
    Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Trump had previously resisted any package that did not include his push to overhaul federal elections known as the Save America Act.
    Sam Gringlas, NPR, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The war then deferred economic growth.
    Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Altman’s funeral had been postponed from last week after his wife went into labor.
    Madeline King, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The two-day Cascale forum, scheduled to open on March 30, and an Investors Forum organized by the Board of Investment for the same day, were both postponed amid mounting logistical challenges.
    Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 31 Mar. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Held off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20off. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

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