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

The Gulf’s conference season is usually packed into the cooler months, and the last quarter of 2026 is even more crammed because events in the spring were postponed due to the war.

— Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
This Sunday’s game against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay was actually supposed to be played in 2020 but was postponed because of the pandemic’s disruption of nonconference schedules.

— Pete Sampson, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of postpone

Verb

Some of that January increase reflects workers who secured jobs during the final months of the previous year but delayed their start dates.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is pouring billions of dollars into developing a domestic tech ecosystem under his Vision 2030 program, even as some mega-projects are delayed.

— Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of delay

Verb

Cao’s deeper subject here concerns the wagers people make on their futures and, by extension, the ways risk is deferred and abstracted in our gamified, appified, casino-like present.

— Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Edwin Díaz The Dodgers outbid the New York Mets for the services of closer Edwin Díaz, agreeing to a three-year, $69 million contract (with much of it deferred).

— Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 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 6 Sep. 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

inexorable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes