Synonyms of postpone

postpone

verb

(ˌ)pōs(t)-ˈpōn 

as in to defer

to assign to a later time

we'll have to postpone a decision until we have all the information

Synonyms & Similar Words

• defer
• delay
• wait
• suspend
• shelve
• hesitate
• put over
• put off
• remit
• lay over
• hold over
• hold off (on)
• pause
• stay
• prolong
• slow
• hold up
• extend
• lengthen
• retard
• detain
• stretch (out)
• protract

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• do
• act
• work (on)
• deal (with)
• decide (upon)

Synonym Chooser

How is the word postpone distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of postpone are defer, stay, and suspend. While all these words mean "to delay an action or proceeding," postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.

the game is postponed until Saturday

Where would defer be a reasonable alternative to postpone?

The meanings of defer and postpone largely overlap; however, defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

deferred buying a car until spring

In what contexts can stay take the place of postpone?

While in some cases nearly identical to postpone, stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.

the governor stayed the execution

When can suspend be used instead of postpone?

While the synonyms suspend and postpone are close in meaning, suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied.

business will be suspended while repairs are underway

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of postpone

Worried about losing the business tax and having to make huge cuts to city services, Bass and the council struck a deal to postpone the $30 wage hike by 18 months. — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026

The group postponed a pair of Germany shows last weekend — and subsequently nixed the remainder of their tour — after announcing that Gillan was hospitalized with an unspecified health issue. — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2026

The remainder of the European tour that had been scheduled to run through November has now been postponed. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2026

Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan is recovering after a medical emergency forced the legendary rock band to postpone its European tour. — Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 7 Nov. 2026