Synonyms of defer

defer

verb

di-ˈfər 

as in to postpone

to assign to a later time

we agreed to defer a discussion of the issue until we had more information

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word defer distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of defer are postpone, stay, and suspend. While all these words mean "to delay an action or proceeding," defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

deferred buying a car until spring

When could postpone be used to replace defer?

While in some cases nearly identical to defer, postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.

the game is postponed until Saturday

When is it sensible to use stay instead of defer?

While the synonyms stay and defer are close in meaning, stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.

the governor stayed the execution

Where would suspend be a reasonable alternative to defer?

The words suspend and defer are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 defer

The intent is to defer capital gains taxes — which remains a legitimate strategy, but with additional qualifications, according to new guidance from tax authorities. — Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026

As the number of distractor calls increased, females got worse at picking the attractive call, took longer to decide, and were more likely to defer choosing within the 10-minute window altogether. — Claire Therese Hemingway, The Conversation, 1 Oct. 2026

Some of your salary can be deferred and taxed when assets are withdrawn. — Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026

After more than an hour, commissioners returned and Stamps deferred a vote on the resolution. — A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026