1
as in turning back
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2
as in putting off
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holding off
Verb
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According to police paperwork, Prut chased the man across the street before turning back to take the tool from the van and the keys to the vehicle.—
Erika Stanish,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026 -
Orion will zoom 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) beyond the moon before turning back, providing unprecedented and illuminated views of the lunar far side, at least for human eyes.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the center of town, Perryville House—with its garden-facing suites and Georgian architecture—makes a compelling case for putting off your departure.—
Condé Nast Traveler,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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Americans are also making other sacrifices, such as delaying a job change, putting off buying a new home or postponing growing their family.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Border policy used in past administrations The practice of not letting an asylum-seeker pass through a checkpoint was used periodically during the Obama administration, when border officers began turning away hundreds of Haitian asylum-seekers at ports of entry in California.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
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Hospitals ran out of blood, and started turning away patients.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Throughout the series, the couple navigated major life changes, including Lily’s brief move to San Francisco after breaking off her engagement with Marshall, plus arguments about their respective careers.—
Jane LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
31 Mar. 2026
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Tonga provides an immediate upgrade there, and, at worst, should take some pressure off a secondary that too often had to play superhero on the back end to prevent opposing running backs from breaking off big gains.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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OpenAI has been retreating from some hefty spending plans, shelving certain ambitious projects and accepting its role as a purchaser of massive amounts of cloud capacity rather than as a builder of mammoth data centers.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
24 Mar. 2026
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Use contact paper or shelving liners to prevent crumbs and residue from building up on shelves.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Washington’s business-first approach offers material order in exchange for indefinitely postponing democratic aspirations.—
Boris Muñoz,
Time,
3 Apr. 2026
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Exporters said that the decision reflected the gravity of the situation; postponing the events was unavoidable.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When Guthrie anchors the Today show on Easter Monday, a major break in the case withstanding, the Christian spillover-holiday will mark the 65th day since her mother, Nancy Guthrie, 84, was taken from her home in Tucson, Arizona.—
Tony Maglio,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2026
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Grower trials across the country have shown that Petite Knock Out is hardy in Zones 5 through 10, withstanding any climate from the desert southwest to the Northeast.—
Mackenzie Nichols,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His deal would have funded TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard immediately, while deferring the fight over ICE to a later vote.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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Burroughs said implementing an administrative stay and deferring ruling on the postponement gives both sides time to file briefs on the emergency motion.—
Ubah Ali,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Holding off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holding%20off. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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