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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Consider postponing boating activities on the lake until a day with less wind.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Sep. 2025 -
The Windy City has prepared for more than a week for looming National Guard deployments and Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, from the governor bracing for a court fight to parade planners postponing.—
Priscilla Alvarez,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The long-term effect is a generation carrying debt, stuck in low-wage jobs, and delaying milestones like homeownership or starting families.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
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Flush-fit door handles fail far more often during side impacts than regular handles, delaying egress or rescue time after a crash.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Speedrunners have also found some arcane sequence skips to get around certain bosses or methods for putting off some boss fights until later than the developers intended.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 Sep. 2025
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Amid an influx of trends, like the red pill movement, data shows that men are by and large putting off commitment for longer.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The decision marks an extraordinary break with the country’s history of deferring justice in the name of peace.—
Julia Vargas Jones,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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While many executives are pausing on big hires or deferring large projects, Dave Anderson, Founder of TSC Security, argues that protecting your company’s digital assets should not be placed on the back burner.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
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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 15 Sep. 2025.
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