hold off
verb
held off; holding off; holds off
1
: to block from an objective : delay
2
: to defer action on : postpone
hold off a decision
3
: to fight to a standoff : withstand
: to defer or temporarily stop doing something
Synonyms
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
After winning the Big Eight title and facing Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, the Buffaloes held off Notre Dame 10-9 when a controversial holding call negated a last-minute Raghib Ismail punt return for a touchdown.
—
Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
At the same time, the incoming Trump administration's policies, if enacted, are expected to be inflationary, prompting some economists to predict that the central bank may hold off on cutting rates at its January 29 meeting.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, Burger King (QSR) is still holding off on automating completely, as employees still cut onions by hand.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 8 Jan. 2025
The complexity of pulling together a tax bill that can secure the necessary votes has some Republicans hoping to hold off until later in the year and first charge ahead with a smaller bill focused on immigration, energy and military issues.
—Andrew Duehren, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hold off 
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Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
At the same time, the incoming Trump administration's policies, if enacted, are expected to be inflationary, prompting some economists to predict that the central bank may hold off on cutting rates at its January 29 meeting.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 10 Jan. 2025
Meanwhile, Burger King (QSR) is still holding off on automating completely, as employees still cut onions by hand.
—Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 8 Jan. 2025
The complexity of pulling together a tax bill that can secure the necessary votes has some Republicans hoping to hold off until later in the year and first charge ahead with a smaller bill focused on immigration, energy and military issues.
—Andrew Duehren, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hold off
Dictionary Entries Near hold off
Cite this Entry
“Hold off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hold%20off. Accessed 19 Jan. 2025.
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