1
as in turning back
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2
as in putting off
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding off
Verb
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There is no turning back, no compromise, no side road.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
19 Mar. 2026 -
But savvy marketing campaigns and partnerships with major employers have tricked consumers into turning back to payday loans.—
Christopher Greenwood,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Mar. 2026
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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Border policy used in past administrations The practice of not letting an asylum-seeker pass through a checkpoint was used periodically during the Obama administration, when border officers began turning away hundreds of Haitian asylum-seekers at ports of entry in California.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
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Hospitals ran out of blood, and started turning away patients.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tonga provides an immediate upgrade there, and, at worst, should take some pressure off a secondary that too often had to play superhero on the back end to prevent opposing running backs from breaking off big gains.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Vrabel first held a press conference at a podium inside the Indiana Convention Center before breaking off into a less formal side session with local reporters later.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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OpenAI has been retreating from some hefty spending plans, shelving certain ambitious projects and accepting its role as a purchaser of massive amounts of cloud capacity rather than as a builder of mammoth data centers.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2026
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Use contact paper or shelving liners to prevent crumbs and residue from building up on shelves.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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These conditions pose challenges for travel, so exercise extra caution on the road or consider postponing your trip if possible.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
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The central bank’s latest projections show interest rates remain unchanged for longer than previously expected, postponing cuts that had been pencilled in earlier this year.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The finished structure contains microscopic channels that allow heat to move efficiently while withstanding harsh operating environments.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
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After withstanding barrages that bookended the Utah Mammoth’s losing effort on Friday, the Ducks returned home to await Sunday’s clash with the Buffalo Sabres, the NHL’s hottest team over a span of more than four months.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Burroughs said implementing an administrative stay and deferring ruling on the postponement gives both sides time to file briefs on the emergency motion.—
Ubah Ali,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
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Schneider, who also served as a senior adviser to CMS during the Obama administration, said this step could be an early warning signal for deferring or withholding federal Medicaid funding in those states.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
18 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Holding off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20off. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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