held off (on)

past tense of hold off (on)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for held off (on)
Verb
  • The Gulf’s conference season is usually packed into the cooler months, and the last quarter of 2026 is even more crammed because events in the spring were postponed due to the war.
    Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • This Sunday’s game against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay was actually supposed to be played in 2020 but was postponed because of the pandemic’s disruption of nonconference schedules.
    Pete Sampson, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Magyar's predecessor, Viktor Orbán, was an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin who repeatedly delayed or blocked European Union sanctions on Russia and pursued energy deals with Russia.
    ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Jennings completed 26 of 36 passes for a career-best 430 yards and three touchdowns as SMU (1-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) outlasted the Seminoles in a game that was delayed nearly two hours due to a power outage at Doak Campbell Stadium.
    Associated Pess, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • When Ohtani sought a $700 million package that deferred 98 percent of the salary, Moreno declined to engage.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Suzy Batlle, who owns an ice cream shop on Southwest Eighth Street, said the plan feels rushed and asked that the planning board vote be deferred.
    Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Held off (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20off%20%28on%29. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster