hold off (on)

Definition of hold off (on)next
as in to postpone
to assign to a later time we held off on accepting the invitation in the hopes that something better would come along

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold off (on)
Verb
  • Paul took offense, as over the past years she’s been in legal custody battles over her son, Ever True, which escalated into her Bachelorette season being postponed on ABC.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 17 July 2026
  • Since then, Carr has accepted tickets annually, except when the 2020 event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to his public disclosures.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
Verb
  • When that first weekend closure did happen, Sunday night rain did not delay the lanes’ opening early Monday.
    Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 19 July 2026
  • The midfielder was deemed to have delayed a restart by throwing the ball away.
    Graham Scott, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Verb
  • These arrangements — which allow borrowers to defer cash interest payments by adding them to the loan principal, typically for a charge — can often signal liquidity stress and rising default risk.
    Hugh Leask, CNBC, 14 July 2026
  • Under a city ordinance passed last month, Oceanside has decided to defer upzoning there until 2032.
    Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026
Verb
  • Drone strikes and shelling have targeted civilian infrastructure including schools, markets, fuel and water stations, putting over 500,000 people at risk.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • The company’s Super+ membership is approaching one million members and has helped customers put over $1 billion back in their pockets.
    Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 7 July 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

“Hold off (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20off%20%28on%29. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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