holding off

verb

present participle of hold off
1
as in turning back

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2
as in putting off

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding off
  1. turning back
  2. putting off
  3. turning away
  4. breaking off
  5. withstanding
  6. shelving
  7. resisting
  8. postponing
Verb
  • Cubans are planning their lives around the lights turning back on.
    — Andrea Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • At times, they were seen swerving around other drivers and driving at speeds up to 95 miles per hour in the northbound lanes before getting onto the westbound I-10, exiting near downtown and then turning back toward Boyle Heights on surface streets.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of turning back
Verb
  • Hundreds of military bases have been putting off cleanup of toxic PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, for years, according to a new USA TODAY analysis of military records.
    — Austin Fast, USA Today, 26 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of putting off
Verb
  • American public opinion is turning away from unconditional support of Israel since Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • At present, prison abolitionists have demanded new conditions for addressing racial capital, turning away from the brutal system of punitive measures to a framework of racial repair.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026
Definition of turning away
Verb
  • Now, though, some branches are breaking off.
    — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
  • In November 1987, after breaking off her engagement with Estevez, Moore married Bruce in Las Vegas.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 21 June 2026
Definition of breaking off
Verb
  • Consider that a durable laptop capable of withstanding an accidental drop might be worth extra money.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Holding a plaza for more than a month, withstanding a police crackdown and bringing senior ministers to neutral ground requires people.
    — Penny Abeywardena, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of withstanding
Verb
  • While custom living room shelving houses an impressive book collection, the kitchen is stocked with all the essentials needed to prepare meals of any scale.
    — Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 30 July 2026
  • All these vehicles have seen showroom traffic slow to a crawl, so the automakers are scaling back or shelving their offerings in the segment (with the focus turning to smaller, more efficient vehicles that can be built and sold profitably).
    — Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of shelving
Verb
  • They must be applied directly to someone’s skin to produce a voltage that causes pain, which is intended to gain compliance from people who are resisting.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Ludwig was charged with reckless driving and resisting arrest.
    — Jose Fabian, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of resisting
Verb
  • Rolling Stone reported that Morrissey has made a habit of canceling shows, canceling 22 performances and postponing 10 others in 2025 alone.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
  • According to the complaint, Brightline Investment Holdings has failed to pay down its loan or make any interest payments since December of 2025, even after seeking multiple extensions and postponing the maturity date of the loan.
    — Joshua Ceballos, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of postponing
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.

Browse Nearby Words

holding (in)
holding off
holding off (on)
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Cite this Entry

“Holding off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20off. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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