PUTTING OFF Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

putting off

verb

present participle of put off

as in postponing

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

as in removing

to rid oneself of (a garment) put off your coat and stay awhile

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in disgusting

to cause to feel disgust she was put off by his blatantly sexist attitude

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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 putting off All of this means Owens has had to take shifts in the kitchen, putting off her front-of-house duties and paperwork to her evenings and days off. — Ayesha Rascoe, NPR, 1 Nov. 2026 According to Singhal, common signs include procrastination, impatience, feeling overwhelmed, and putting off decisions altogether. — Kriti Kumar, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026 Angi data shows 60 percent of consumers are now putting off projects and switching to maintenance. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026 Stop putting off that next step for your side hustle and find the perfect person to take your business to the next level. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026 Poppe said the company was putting off $2 billion in work — not for wildfire mitigation or safety, but for housing developments, renewable energy projects and other efforts. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Hundreds of military bases have been putting off cleanup of toxic PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, for years, according to a new USA TODAY analysis of military records. — Austin Fast, USA Today, 26 July 2026 Home Depot and Lowe’s both told investors this year that homeowners are putting off larger home improvement projects – those often associated with fixer-upper homes. — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 17 July 2026 Across the country, park agencies struggling with these dire conditions are responding by putting off maintenance for trails and forests to save money, said Ray. — Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for putting off

Verb

For months, Riyadh maintained a veneer of business as usual despite the war, but this has become harder to sustain with the city postponing events, from tennis tournaments to conferences, and now doing a U-turn on schools.

— Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026
The power at Westlake's football stadium went out early in the second quarter of Friday's District 25-6A high school game between Westlake and Cedar Ridge, postponing the contest until noon Saturday.

— Colby Gordon, Austin American Statesman, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of postponing

Verb

This may mean removing an abusive parent as their guardian and establishing another relative or foster parent in place of the parent.

— Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
Before the building is sold or used for secular purposes, church officials take great care when removing the religious items inside, said Jacob Preciado, director of asset management for the archdiocese.

— Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of removing

Verb

The Ukrainian leader had accused the Pentagon of delaying the delivery of the missiles that other countries have purchased for Ukraine.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2026
Opaque foam boards covered the windows, blocking sightlines and delaying evacuation.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of delaying

Verb

Troopers at the airport were alerted to the situation and notified flight staff at the gate where the plane would be taking off, state police said.

— Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
To make matters worse, Tesla’s profits have been falling while SpaceX’s bottom line is taking off.

— Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of taking off

Verb

The country's telecom and internet service market is dominated by Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani's Jio and Sunil Mittal's Airtel, with both companies together holding over 80% market share.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
There are more than 300 such foundations across the country, holding over $40 billion in assets, according to Grantmakers In Health (paywall).

— Laura MacDonald, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of holding over

Verb

The young Forster recoiled from the school’s culture of authoritarianism and militaristic chauvinism, which may have found expression in the students’ often appalling attitudes toward their own mothers.

— Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
Of all the recent poster boys for appalling misbehavior by the State Police, Michael Proctor would of course rank number one.

— Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 4 Jan. 2026