hold off (on)

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
  • Residents should consider postponing or rescheduling outdoor activities, and follow the same precautionary steps, like, drinking plenty of water and taking breaks indoors or under shade.
    Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 23 July 2025
  • That includes Rosado’s tiebreaker vote in favor of postponing the upcoming November election to 2026 — a measure backed by the mayor — as well as Rosado’s vote to shutter the Bayfront Park Management Trust in January of next year.
    Tess Riski July 21, Miami Herald, 21 July 2025
Verb
  • Apple looks to have delayed the release of the new macOS hardware into 2026.
    Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
  • Dietary changes such as intermittent fasting, caloric restriction, and ketogenic diet with regular exercise can prevent MASH or delay its progression.
    Suchandrima Bhowmik, Health, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • Non-grantor trusts may also be used to defer or avoid state income tax.
    Martin Shenkman, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • For example, someone who falls behind on the bills because of job loss would no longer qualify to defer student loan payments, Bañez said.
    Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 11 July 2025
Verb
  • The New Day put over American Made, talking up the Creed’s amateur wrestling accolades as Cole accused the New Day of not wanting to face the War Raiders.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
  • Together, these buyers put over $21 billion in the U.S. housing market last year.
    Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025
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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“Hold off (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20off%20%28on%29. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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