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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As a result, the central bank will almost certainly postpone any cut in interest rates for months.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Apr. 2026 -
As a result, the central bank will almost certainly postpone any cut in interest rates for months.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Congress allocated money for it, but billions of dollars were delayed due to the shutdown.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
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Bogey’s Image, ridden by Teddy Davies, appeared to win, only for a lengthy stewards’ inquiry to delay the result as spectators waited along the rails.—
Michael Howes,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The tradeoff has been rhythm — knowing when to attack and when to defer.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
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Gray Thompson cautioned that while survivors waiting for relief can defer taxes or amend past returns, resolving issues with government programs, such as qualifying for college financial aid, is much harder.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This is a great sign, seeing as Reflect Orbital's ultimate hope is to put over 50,000 satellites in Earth orbit by the year 2035.—
Monisha Ravisetti,
Space.com,
5 Mar. 2026
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When the rudder is put over, the stern swings out first, so that if the vessel is in restricted waters, trying to avoid something ahead can result in hitting something behind.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Jan. 2026
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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 23 Apr. 2026.
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