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
  • Tide turns back to franchises Then the tide started turning back toward familiar waters.
    — Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Once the company and its shareholders become accustomed to such a financial boost, an environment where individual guest spending sharply increases even when domestic park attendance is soft or steady, there’s likely no turning back.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of turning back
Verb
  • Angi data shows 60 percent of consumers are now putting off projects and switching to maintenance.
    — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Stop putting off that next step for your side hustle and find the perfect person to take your business to the next level.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of putting off
Verb
  • Online video shows Prescott looking back at the man — who was there as a transportation service driver — while still walking, then turning away.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Time will tell whether Gen Z keeps turning away from higher education, but the truth is that the traditionally-aged students who do enroll are also arriving with a wider range of needs than ever before.
    — Ruth Bauer, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of turning away
Verb
  • Walker turned the corner around a defender near the sideline, breaking off a 76-yard run to get Kansas City near the Las Vegas goal line.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Experts believe Wednesday's mudslides and flash flooding across Nepal and China's Tibet region were caused by a large chunk of ice breaking off a glacier and falling into the Lhende Khola River.
    — Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of breaking off
Verb
  • Nuclear facilities can require specialized molds capable of producing complex geometries with tight dimensional tolerances while withstanding substantial pressure from the concrete.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The founders of Plank Hardware create hardware made to offset a kitchen’s harsh fixtures, while still withstanding the wear and tear of daily use.
    — Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of withstanding
Verb
  • Moreover, the wall-to-wall negative press that Zaslav generated for shelving a finished movie (which was supposedly well received in test screenings) wasn’t worth the headache, according to studio sources.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Executive Director Matt Floca denies shelving necessary work, saying inspections this summer revealed how far leaks had spread and that plans changed after a contractor’s estimate came in far above budget.
    — Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of shelving
Verb
  • There never was a better moment for a movement aimed at resisting fascism, preventing war and eliminating poverty at home.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The officer also alleges Bowman continued resisting after the taser was used, before eventually complying.
    — Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of resisting
Verb
  • Undoubtedly, the biggest blow was the announcement that the kingdom is postponing its flagship investment conference, the Future Investment Initiative, until next year, although no exact date has been set.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Supervisor Brian Veerkamp, who will miss Tuesday’s meeting, recommended postponing the appointment to allow for a competitive selection process.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 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 25 Oct. 2026.

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