postpone

verb

post·​pone (ˌ)pōs(t)-ˈpōn How to pronounce postpone (audio)
postponed; postponing

transitive verb

1
: to put off to a later time : defer
2
a
: to place later (as in a sentence) than the normal position in English
postpone an adjective
b
: to place later in order of precedence, preference, or importance
postponable adjective
postponement noun
postponer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for postpone

defer, postpone, suspend, stay mean to delay an action or proceeding.

defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

deferred buying a car until spring

postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.

the game is postponed until Saturday

suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied.

business will be suspended while repairs are underway

stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.

the governor stayed the execution

Examples of postpone in a Sentence

The baseball game was postponed until tomorrow because of rain. we'll have to postpone a decision until we have all the information
Recent Examples on the Web But parents who are now postponing vaccinations until their children are 2 or even 3 years old have created a potential vulnerability gap for California’s babies and toddlers. Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2024 The hearing was originally meant to run Monday through Wednesday, but the third day was postponed until April 29 because a witness for the prosecution had a scheduling conflict. Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2024 When reached for comment, a representative for Tate tells Rolling Stone that a Romanian court approved the request for extradition but postponed it until after the Romanian trial is over. Ej Dickson, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2024 The Prince of Wales and Queen Camilla, 76, lead the family as King Charles postpones public-facing duties while receiving cancer treatment. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Some colleges have postponed their May 1 acceptance deadline as prospective students await their offers. Hannah Poukish, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 Somers postponed its game against Ellington Wednesday after a house fire claimed the lives of four young children Tuesday who attended school in town. Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 However, a recent study published in the journal Nutrition suggests that the amino acid taurine could serve as a beneficial dietary supplement to potentially postpone the onset of aging. Daphne Ewing-Chow, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 However, the engagement was postponed due to her procedure on Jan. 16 and was reinstated as soon as was practicable, according to palace aides. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'postpone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin postponere to place after, postpone, from post- + ponere to place — more at position

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of postpone was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near postpone

Cite this Entry

“Postpone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postpone. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

postpone

verb
post·​pone pōs(t)-ˈpōn How to pronounce postpone (audio)
postponed; postponing
: to put off (as an action or event) until a later time
rain forced us to postpone the picnic
postponement noun

Legal Definition

postpone

transitive verb
post·​pone
postponed; postponing
1
: to put off to a later time
2
: to place later in precedence, preference, or importance
specifically : to subordinate (a lien) to a later lien
postponable adjective
postponement noun

More from Merriam-Webster on postpone

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