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
  • Investigations into the storm's impact are ongoing, and Fourth of July events in several towns have been canceled or postponed.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
  • By subsidizing inefficient programs and unnecessary administrators, the Golden Age of Master’s Degrees postponed higher education’s day of reckoning: the day colleges and universities will be held accountable for the economic outcomes of their graduates.
    Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Medical examiners ruled two other deaths in January and February to be from natural causes, but a Miami Herald investigation found evidence of substandard or delayed medical care.
    Claire Healy, Miami Herald, 1 July 2025
  • Other risks of delaying ovarian aging may remain unknown.
    Karina Zaiets, USA Today, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • The highest annual salary in the NFL is Dak Prescott’s $60 million, and the richest MLB contract is Shohei Ohtani’s at $70 million per year, although 97% of that money is deferred, which lowers the present-day value of the deal.
    Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 1 July 2025
  • The Pistons acknowledged there was an investigation ongoing but deferred further comment to the NBA.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 29 June 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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Cite this Entry

“Hold off (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20off%20%28on%29. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.

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