held off

Definition of held offnext
past tense of hold off

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for held off
Verb
  • Investigators went in and out of the family's home throughout the day, but Carillo said it has been turned back over to the Guthries.
    Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Nancy Guthrie’s home has been turned back over to Guthrie’s family.
    Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Administrators report that many students are now afraid of having sociology classes on their transcripts, as this may put off potential employers.
    Wendy Nelson Espeland, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
  • This unique point of view has won plaudits from those watching NBC‘s broadcast, even though a few fans have been put off by the trackers’ incessant zipping noise.
    Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Witnesses reportedly told police that the 31-year-old rapper tried to enter White’s private event but started arguing with the footballer when he and his friends were turned away.
    David Matthews, Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Soon after allegedly being turned away at the White House, Lake also bought a condo in her native Iowa, according to MS Now, perhaps to try her luck in politics there.
    The Atlantic, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • On Saturday, one of those protests turned violent when about 100 hooded protesters broke off from a peaceful march and clashed with police, who responded by firing on them with tear gas and a water cannon.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The clip holding the ribbon to her medal broke off.
    Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Rather than mimicking human movement for its own sake, Atlas prioritizes efficiency, balance, and perception, aiming to solve industrial tasks that have historically resisted automation.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Jes Staley, a high-ranking executive who was Epstein’s primary contact, was among those who resisted cutting ties.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Gaza names the moment when the mandate of the oppositional intellectual can no longer be deferred, aestheticized, or selectively applied.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Half of it will be deferred until age 45 or 20 years after their first Olympic appearance, whichever comes later.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • In the past, New Delhi had opposed tariffs on sectors such as agriculture and dairy, which employ the bulk of the country's population.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
  • While more than 135 letters from our community, including from Governor Polis and the Colorado State Patrol, opposed her release, the closure of this referral is not a result of this overwhelming community response.
    Karen Morfitt, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • After hearing testimony from about 40 witnesses, the Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote on the bill so the sponsors could work on amendments.
    Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Delayed until 2024, the third iteration, curated by John Tain, saw its opening temporarily postponed by political protests in the city.
    News Desk, Artforum, 10 Feb. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Held off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20off. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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