HOLD OFF (ON) Synonyms: 28 Similar and Opposite Words

hold off (on)

verb

Definition of hold off (on)

as in to postpone

to assign to a later time we held off on accepting the invitation in the hopes that something better would come along

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hold off (on)

Verb

Court proceedings for the case were postponed in April, when Superior Court Judge Jason Disbrow ordered that Edge be transferred to a state psychiatric facility after authorities said the veteran lacked the mental capacity to proceed to trial.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2026
All other homecoming activities were postponed except for the dance, which will include additional security, Timberline Principal Chad Wright and school district officials said in an email to parents and staff.

— Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of postpone

Verb

Walter Mischel, a psychologist who taught at Stanford and Columbia, conducted some of the most famous studies on delaying gratification in the late 1960s and 1970s.

— Joan M. Cook, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
Parents who addressed the board on Thursday urged the district to delay the vote and take more time to review logistics.

— Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of delay

Verb

The judge deferred ruling on Rashbaum’s constitutional challenge until after trial, and the issue became moot when the jury acquitted Renaud on all counts.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
The catch is the tax obligations don’t go away completely, they are just deferred until next year.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of defer

Verb

After losing nearly a stroke and a half to the field on the greens in Round 1, Åberg has gained nearly three strokes putting over the last two days.

— Justin Ray, New York Times, 19 July 2026
The company’s Super+ membership is approaching one million members and has helped customers put over $1 billion back in their pockets.

— Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 7 July 2026

Definition of put over

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.

Browse Nearby Words

hold off

hold off (on)

hold on

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hold off (on).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hold%20off%20%28on%29. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of hold off (on)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Luddite

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes