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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There's a real difference between postponing a non-urgent procedure your vet says can wait and ignoring symptoms that signal something serious.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
11 June 2026 -
Indeed, this approach preserved peace in the short term by postponing difficult conversations.—
David H. Rosmarin,
Time,
10 June 2026
Verb
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If there are no seats, there’ll be no place to put sick passengers and the train will have to stay in the station, delaying the system.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
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From stunting and weakening plant growth to delaying flower production, these 1/10th-inch-long pests can wreak havoc.—
Abby Monteil,
The Spruce,
12 June 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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While delaying care may seem like a practical way to manage vet costs in the short term, putting off treatment can sometimes create larger financial and medical challenges in the future.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
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That did mean putting off other major projects, including construction of the new, $24 million Barbour Street library in the city’s northside neighborhood.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The county’s cost-saving measures include eliminating vacant positions, cutting programs, deferring maintenance projects, increasing revenue and implementing layoffs.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
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United Airlines would not provide comment when NBC News reached out, deferring instead to law enforcement.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
7 June 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 16 Jun. 2026.
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