HOLDING OFF (ON) Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

holding off (on)

verb

present participle of hold off (on)

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

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding off (on)

Verb

Put your quick mind to work by starting the task everyone keeps postponing, and let your wit warm the room instead of cutting through it.

— Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2026
Forty-two percent report postponing or canceling major life events.

— Rebecca Brooks, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of postponing

Verb

Landa worked with the Association to get the original project approved in 2017 after holding over 30 public meetings.

— Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2026
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

Definition of holding over

Verb

Home Depot and Lowe’s both told investors this year that homeowners are putting off larger home improvement projects – those often associated with fixer-upper homes.

— Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Across the country, park agencies struggling with these dire conditions are responding by putting off maintenance for trails and forests to save money, said Ray.

— Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Definition of putting off

Verb

But his strategy of deferring problems instead of seeking constructive solutions to them eventually blew up, resulting in the invasion of southern Israel and the deaths of 1,200 Israelis.

— Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
Stop deferring the Food Traceability Rule — 2028 is a choice, not a deadline, and Congress already ratified an earlier one.

— Katrine Wallace, STAT, 15 July 2026

Definition of deferring

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holding off

holding off (on)

holding on

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“Holding off (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20off%20%28on%29. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of holding off (on)

verb

Example Sentences

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