1
as in stands off
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
2
as in puts off
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for holds off
Verb
-
Leaving clean laundry in the dryer or hamper only puts off a chore until later, keeps clean clothes from its proper place, and also risks wrinkles or someone accidentally mistaking it for dirty laundry instead.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
My body turns away before my mind can catch up.—
Valeng Cha,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Amazon will also close 15 of its Amazon Go locations as the company turns away from brick-and-mortar grocery stores to concentrate on online same-day delivery and its Whole Foods Market brand.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Mahama breaks off in exasperation.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The scene where ‘80s teen Marty McFly borrows a scooter from a bewildered ‘50s kid and breaks off the handles to make a skateboard is one of the film’s most iconic moments.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Doing so will ensure your paperwork is processed and ready to go when the spigot turns back on.—
Cathie Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
30 Oct. 2025
-
And Keenan Allen turns back the clock.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Toruño resists the label of activist but embraces the political nature of her work.—
Yamlek Mojica,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
-
This would not be possible in two or three dimensions, but the words are arranged in tens of thousands of them, a geometry that doggedly resists visualization.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The result was a fun cameo arc that ends on the image of Scorsese breaking down in tears after Matt shelves the iconic director’s dream project to save his own job — a turn that earned Scorsese his first acting nomination.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Read on to see how Danessa Myricks Beauty’s Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder withstands the test of time.—
Essence Wiley,
InStyle,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Whether Operation Metro Surge ultimately withstands judicial scrutiny remains to be seen.—
Yohuru Williams,
The Conversation,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Depending on how long the renter defers part of the payment, Livble’s fees can translate into effective annual percentage rates of roughly 104% to 139%.—
Ken Sweet,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
One amendment to the bill adding new zoning categories defers its effective date to April 5, which Johnston said was meant to give the Planning Department enough time to put together and disseminate the map.—
Austin Hornbostel,
Nashville Tennessean,
5 Dec. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Holds off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/holds%20off. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
