hold off

verb

held off; holding off; holds off

transitive verb

1

: to block from an objective : delay

2

: to defer action on : postpone

hold off a decision

3

: to fight to a standoff : withstand

intransitive verb

: to defer or temporarily stop doing something

Synonyms

• defer
• delay
• hold over
• hold up
• lay over
• postpone
• put off
• put over
• remit
• shelve

Examples of hold off in a Sentence

we held off on accepting the invitation in the hopes that something better would come along

Recent Examples on the Web

The Ducks held off the Buckeyes 32-31 in one of the regular season’s best games on Oct. 12. —Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 1 Jan. 2025

While many are eager to kick off their New Year's resolutions, millions of Californians have been urged to hold off after a warning to limit exercise on New Year's Day. —Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025

Propelled out of Iowa and New Hampshire, Carter held off a late challenge from California Gov. Jerry Brown to win the nomination. —Jonathan Alter, TIME, 29 Dec. 2024

Still, Blackwood held off Utah’s third-period surge and won for the fourth time in five starts since joining the club. —Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 27 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Kids Definition

hold off

verb

1

: to keep away : withstand

held off the attack

2

: postpone, delay

decided to hold off on the decision

will hold off production for the summer