puts off

verb

present tense third-person singular of put off
1
as in postpones
to assign to a later time never put off until tomorrow what you can do today

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in removes
to rid oneself of (a garment) put off your coat and stay awhile

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disgusts
to cause to feel disgust she was put off by his blatantly sexist attitude

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of puts off When a leader puts off a decision, the people around them feel the pause first. — Mohamed Al Hashemi, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 The longer Congress puts off reckoning with these problems, the more difficult the solutions will be. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 8 May 2026 Leaving clean laundry in the dryer or hamper only puts off a chore until later, keeps clean clothes from its proper place, and also risks wrinkles or someone accidentally mistaking it for dirty laundry instead. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puts off
  1. postpones
  2. removes
  3. disgusts
  4. delays
  5. shrugs off
  6. repulses
  7. holds over
  8. takes off
Verb
  • The injury postpones any plans to send the 20-year-old out on loan.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Or someone managing diabetes who postpones a preventive visit because grocery shopping, prescription pickups, and coordinating multiple specialists compete for limited time and energy.
    — Aimée K. Dailey, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of postpones
Verb
  • Juicing cherries and plums removes most or all of their fiber, making whole fruits a better option for supporting cardiovascular health.
    — Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 17 Aug. 2026
  • And choosing a washer with a higher spin speed (up to about 1,000 RPM) removes more water before drying, which shortens air-dry time significantly.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of removes
Verb
  • That’s what really disgusts me.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 20 May 2026
Definition of disgusts
Verb
  • Nearly all report that the process contributes to burnout and delays care.
    — Richard Menger MD MPA, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Cellphone use before bed delays the natural drop in cortisol that teenagers need to fall asleep, according to Alice Hoagland, PhD, director of the Insomnia Clinic at the Rochester Regional Sleep Disorder Center.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of delays
Verb
  • The team shrugs off criticism that the end result was overbudget and overdue.
    — Lauren Victory, CBS News, 20 June 2026
  • Once again, Rodrigo shrugs off concern.
    — Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Definition of shrugs off
Verb
  • Sigmund Freud believed that every crush has a strand of disgust, that people are attracted to what repulses them.
    — Daniel Felsenthal, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Charlie, though, is trying to keep them out of a country that thoroughly repulses him.
    — Alexander Nazaryan, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of repulses
Verb
  • Egypt’s Theban necropolis holds over 400 tombs, a rich resource for archaeologists eager to learn more about that region’s ancient history.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Mexico holds over 140 Tcf (trillion cubic feet) of unconventional gas resources, mostly in northern shale or tight sand basins.
    — Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of holds over
Verb
  • Then Bill Eppridge, the photographer, went up, pointed to me, went into the plane, the door closed, and takes off into the night.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • When a target passes, the drone takes off, pursues the vehicle, and strikes it with its onboard munition.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of takes off

Browse Nearby Words

puts into words
puts off
puts on
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Cite this Entry

“Puts off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puts%20off. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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