put off

verb

put off; putting off; puts off

transitive verb

1

a

: disconcert

b

: repel

2

a

: to hold back to a later time

b

: to induce to wait

put the bill collector off

3

: to rid oneself of : take off

4

: to sell or pass fraudulently

Synonyms of put off

• postpone
• delay
• put over
• defer

Examples of put off in a Sentence

never put off until tomorrow what you can do today

put off your coat and stay awhile

Recent Examples on the Web

Some of them were put off by élite football’s deliberate lack of culture—staunch apoliticism is easy to sell to Sky Sports—and others had been priced out. — Vanda Mayer, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2026

But don’t be put off by produce that doesn’t look picture-perfect. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 5 Oct. 2026

Without it, people tend to put off checkups, prescriptions and screenings. — Amber Bellazaire, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2026

Angi data shows 60 percent of consumers are now putting off projects and switching to maintenance. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Rhymes for put off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

put off

verb

1

: to cause negative feelings in

your sloppy appearance put them off

2

: to hold back to a later time : defer

put off my visit to the dentist

3

: to rid oneself of

put off your coat