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,
3 Nov. 2025 -
These conditions pose challenges for travel, so exercise extra caution on the road or consider postponing your trip if possible.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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These cuts mean reducing supply budgets in most departments, delaying the purchase of new math curriculum and Chromebooks, freezing hiring for nonclassroom positions and canceling contract agreements that will not disrupt operations.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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In such cases, delaying treatment may worsen the condition.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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MicroStrategy remains the leader among corporate crypto treasuries, holding over 638,000 bitcoins valued at an astonishing $71 billion.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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All of the backup plans that people are preparing to enact - borrowing, trying to visit food banks, putting off other bills - have their own costs and downstream effects.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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Hoka Women’s Transport Shoes This cushy shoe is designed with a rocker bottom that pushes you into your next step, putting off foot fatigue for longer.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Newsom's office previously provided a statement to Fox News Digital, deferring responsibility for the situation to the CIF, CDE and state legislature.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
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Had Darnold not crumbled in the postseason, re-signing him to a multi-year deal and deferring McCarthy to a three-year development plan would have been reasonable.—
Trevor Squire,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Oct. 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 8 Nov. 2025.
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