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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold off (on)
Verb
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The decision to play the game would always have been player-led; there were no discussions to postpone and both clubs have psychological support on hand.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025 -
Several other celebrations in the Windy City and its suburbs were postponed, citing safety concerns amid immigration enforcement operations.—
Nicole Chavez,
CNN Money,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Production began in early 2024 after being delayed by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes.—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
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Trump has frequently used tariffs as part of foreign policy negotiations in his second term, but many of them were reduced or delayed.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Due to financial concerns, Supervisor Phil Serna led a motion to defer the discussion until after the 2025-2026 county budget passed.—
Emma Hall,
Sacbee.com,
23 Sep. 2025
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In fact, while European drug regulators strongly encourage companies to disclose clinical trial data early in the process, firms can defer the release of study data for up to seven years after trial completion or until the drug goes on the market – whichever occurs first.—
Lucy Xiaolu Wang,
The Conversation,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At 48 years old, the veteran has been used to put over the next generation of superstars.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
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The market is putting over 85% odds on a cut, according to the CME FedWatch tool.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
29 Aug. 2025
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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 30 Sep. 2025.
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