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
Recent Examples on the Web
Ross Chastain holds off a charging Bubba Wallace and wins Stage 2!
Lap 157: Bubba Wallace cuts to the inside and passes Erik Jones for second!
—
Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2024
The rain held off in Moraga but the Gaels poured on tries and dominated possession.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024
Overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Franklin charmed a foreign nation, convinced an absolute monarch to fund a war for liberty, held off his own bitter countrymen (like John Adams), and forged a defensive pact that brought France (and most importantly their navy) into the war.
—Craig Bruce Smith, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
Also, there is no shortage of stories across the county of landlords who might have held off on increases in the past three years but now are suddenly raising rents at the maximum allowed by law.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
Finally, 20 minutes before the shooting, a guidance counselor asked to search the boy for the weapon, but Parker told him to hold off because his mother would be there soon.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
Experts also recommend holding off planting new trees until the fall or next year.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2024
The governor's office stopped short of saying whether the governor had agreed to hold off on tax cuts until later.
—Andrew Demillo, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024
The Lakers big man put up 35 points, 18 rebounds, three blocks and two steals as the Lakers held off a fourth-quarter comeback attempt from the Wizards to pick up a third straight victory.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 15 Apr. 2024
The rain held off in Moraga but the Gaels poured on tries and dominated possession.
—Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024
Overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Franklin charmed a foreign nation, convinced an absolute monarch to fund a war for liberty, held off his own bitter countrymen (like John Adams), and forged a defensive pact that brought France (and most importantly their navy) into the war.
—Craig Bruce Smith, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
Also, there is no shortage of stories across the county of landlords who might have held off on increases in the past three years but now are suddenly raising rents at the maximum allowed by law.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
Finally, 20 minutes before the shooting, a guidance counselor asked to search the boy for the weapon, but Parker told him to hold off because his mother would be there soon.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
Experts also recommend holding off planting new trees until the fall or next year.
—Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 10 Apr. 2024
The governor's office stopped short of saying whether the governor had agreed to hold off on tax cuts until later.
—Andrew Demillo, Quartz, 7 Apr. 2024
The Lakers big man put up 35 points, 18 rebounds, three blocks and two steals as the Lakers held off a fourth-quarter comeback attempt from the Wizards to pick up a third straight victory.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hold off.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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 Apr. 2024.
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