as in postponed
to assign to a later time
we held off on accepting the invitation in the hopes that something better would come along
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for held off (on)
Verb
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But the state Department of Public Health and Human Services postponed adding doula services to its Medicaid program in late March, citing a budget shortfall driven in part by higher-than-expected Medicaid costs.—
Katheryn Houghton,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2026 -
At the start of the episode, Seacrest will reveal the two contestants that were eliminated after last week's performances, results that were postponed after an unprecedented surge in votes during episode 10.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The results of an intelligence assessment delayed his combat deployment.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
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Before the contract was eventually approved, the Solano County Deputy Sheriff's Association, the department's union, came out against the move, which delayed a vote at the time.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Thursday, the Miami City Commission deferred voting on two commissioners’ requests to fund affordable housing and parks in their districts after officials quarreled over which areas in the city have the most pressing needs, an argument that cut to the core of the wealth divide in Miami.—
Tess Riski
April 10,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
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Council members Jared Fears and Bridget McCandless declined to comment and said that the situation was a personnel issue and deferred any comments to the city.—
Ben Wheeler
April 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Held off (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20off%20%28on%29. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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