as in postponing
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 holding off (on)
Verb
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The selection of Morrissey as a headliner is bound to raise eyebrows following a spotty track record of canceling or postponing some 200 headlining appearances in the past decade-plus.—
SPIN Staff,
SPIN,
21 Apr. 2026 -
Consider postponing boating activities on the lake until a day with less wind.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That is setting batteries up for a dual role as an enabler to putting more green energy on the grid and delaying the phase-out of fossil fuels.—
Mark Chediak,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
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Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was recently defeated in an election, had accused Ukraine of deliberately delaying repairs — an allegation that Zelenskyy denied.—
Karel Janicek,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And moviegoers turned out to indies from Rosemead to The Chronology of Water, All That’s Left Of You and more, new and holding over, limited, wide and top ten.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
11 Jan. 2026
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MicroStrategy remains the leader among corporate crypto treasuries, holding over 638,000 bitcoins valued at an astonishing $71 billion.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In the center of town, Perryville House—with its garden-facing suites and Georgian architecture—makes a compelling case for putting off your departure.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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Americans are also making other sacrifices, such as delaying a job change, putting off buying a new home or postponing growing their family.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, Newsom has proposed deferring funding guaranteed under Proposition 98, the 1988 ballot measure that requires roughly 40 percent of the state’s general fund go to K-12 schools and community colleges.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
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His deal would have funded TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard immediately, while deferring the fight over ICE to a later vote.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Holding off (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20off%20%28on%29. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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