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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The notification goes out to utilities and other power providers to hold off on scheduled maintenance on generators and transmission lines. 
Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2022 Tuscaloosa County stopped a 2-point conversion try with 2:30 left in the game to hold off the home team’s bid for an upset and improve to 3-0 on the year and keep the Hornets winless in their first three tries in Class 7A play. Al.com Reports, al, 2 Sep. 2022 However, there could be a downside for buyers if some owners hold off on listing their home due to those trends, Ratiu cautioned. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2022 Cunningham has called for legislators to hold off on debating the measure this fall until after the November election. Meg Kinnard, ajc, 1 Aug. 2022 Austria is among several Western European countries where infections are rising rapidly and where there are concerns that vaccination rates, while relatively high, are insufficient to hold off a winter surge at hospitals. Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 20 Nov. 2021 Austria is among several Western European countries where infections are rising rapidly and where there are concerns that vaccination rates, while relatively high, are insufficient to hold off a winter surge at hospitals. Emily Schultheis And Kirsten Grieshaber, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Nov. 2021 Austria is among several western European countries where infections are rising rapidly and where there are concerns that vaccination rates, while relatively high, are insufficient to hold off a winter surge at hospitals. Emily Schultheis, USA TODAY, 19 Nov. 2021 Despite the fact King Philip had 17 players return to the team Friday after missing eight days of practice because of COVID-19 contact tracing, the Warriors had more than enough firepower to hold off a late surge from the Eagles. BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2021 See More
Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2022 Tuscaloosa County stopped a 2-point conversion try with 2:30 left in the game to hold off the home team’s bid for an upset and improve to 3-0 on the year and keep the Hornets winless in their first three tries in Class 7A play. Al.com Reports, al, 2 Sep. 2022 However, there could be a downside for buyers if some owners hold off on listing their home due to those trends, Ratiu cautioned. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2022 Cunningham has called for legislators to hold off on debating the measure this fall until after the November election. Meg Kinnard, ajc, 1 Aug. 2022 Austria is among several Western European countries where infections are rising rapidly and where there are concerns that vaccination rates, while relatively high, are insufficient to hold off a winter surge at hospitals. Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 20 Nov. 2021 Austria is among several Western European countries where infections are rising rapidly and where there are concerns that vaccination rates, while relatively high, are insufficient to hold off a winter surge at hospitals. Emily Schultheis And Kirsten Grieshaber, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Nov. 2021 Austria is among several western European countries where infections are rising rapidly and where there are concerns that vaccination rates, while relatively high, are insufficient to hold off a winter surge at hospitals. Emily Schultheis, USA TODAY, 19 Nov. 2021 Despite the fact King Philip had 17 players return to the team Friday after missing eight days of practice because of COVID-19 contact tracing, the Warriors had more than enough firepower to hold off a late surge from the Eagles. BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
holding off
verb
1
as in standing off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- standing off
- turning back
- turning away
- beating off
- staving off
- withstanding
- resisting
- opposing
- fending (off)
- warding (off)
- fighting
- rebutting
- defying
- deflecting
- repulsing
- repelling
- spurning
- rebuffing
- snubbing
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- embracing
- welcoming
- hailing
2
as in putting off
Synonyms & Similar Words
- putting off
- breaking off
- shelving
- postponing
- deferring
- wrapping up
- reserving
- winding up
- interrupting
- calling off
- tabling
- breaking up
- dispersing
- intermitting
- ending
- disbanding
- stopping
- discontinuing
- dissolving
- halting
- terminating
- suspending
- prorogating
- adjourning
- closing
- recessing
- proroguing
- revoking
- concluding
- recalling
- repealing
- aborting
- rescinding
- invalidating
- nullifying
- quashing
- voiding
- negating
- abrogating
- annulling
- calling
- dropping
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- opening
- launching
- continuing
- extending
- proceeding
- inaugurating
- carrying on
- drawing out
- prolonging
- reopening
- renewing
- resuming
- calling
- assembling
- summoning
- convening
- rallying
- mustering
- convoking