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
-
The withdrawal was ultimately postponed amidst the ensuing instability.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026 -
One judge on the verge of issuing a criminal sentence postponed her ruling indefinitely, on the basis that Habba now lacked the legal authority to represent the government.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Requiring a shareholder vote introduces uncertainty, lengthens timelines, and raises the risk that a cable spinoff could be rejected or delayed.—
Corey Martin,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
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His case has been indefinitely delayed due to a pending civil lawsuit involving the tactical unit that ultimately breached the classroom and killed the shooter.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Eleshewich deferred comment to Bergen County prosecutors, who declined an interview request from Fox News Digital.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Golding deferred attention from the controversial final play in his postgame press conference.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Jan. 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 23 Jan. 2026.
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