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
  • Court proceedings for the case were postponed in April, when Superior Court Judge Jason Disbrow ordered that Edge be transferred to a state psychiatric facility after authorities said the veteran lacked the mental capacity to proceed to trial.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2026
  • All other homecoming activities were postponed except for the dance, which will include additional security, Timberline Principal Chad Wright and school district officials said in an email to parents and staff.
    — Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • At least 75 data center projects worth more than $130 billion total were delayed or cancelled in the first three months of this year, according to a Data Center Watch report published in June.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • By the time the architectural plans were finished, COVID hit, and Hotel Lucile was further delayed.
    — Mickey Rapkin, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The judge deferred ruling on Rashbaum’s constitutional challenge until after trial, and the issue became moot when the jury acquitted Renaud on all counts.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The catch is the tax obligations don’t go away completely, they are just deferred until next year.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • After losing nearly a stroke and a half to the field on the greens in Round 1, Åberg has gained nearly three strokes putting over the last two days.
    — Justin Ray, New York Times, 19 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 12 Oct. 2026.

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