to hold off

Meanings

1. 1phraseintransitive

   To delay doing something or decide not to do it yet.

   Grammar: No object; often followed by on + -ing: hold off on buying.

   Patterns

   • hold off on something
   • hold off doing something

   Let's hold off on buying a new car until next year.

   They held off making a decision until they had more information.

   I think we should hold off and see what happens.

2. 2phrasetransitive

   To stop someone or something from coming closer or attacking.

   Grammar: Takes an object: hold off the enemy. Often used in sports or military contexts.

   Patterns

   • hold off someone
   • hold off something

   The soldiers held off the attack for three days.

   The goalkeeper held off the opposing team's forwards.

3. 3phraseintransitive

   To stop rain or bad weather from starting, or to keep it away for a while.

   Grammar: Used about weather; often in the phrase the rain held off.

   Patterns

   • the rain held off
   • the storm held off

   The rain held off until after the game.

   We were lucky the storm held off all afternoon.

Word forms

Common combinations

hold off on something

They decided to hold off on the project.

hold off making a decision

We should hold off making a decision until Friday.

the rain held off

The rain held off, so we could eat outside.

hold off the enemy

The troops held off the enemy for hours.

Synonyms and how they differ

delay

More general; can be transitive and does not need on.

postpone

Means to move something to a later time; more formal.

put off

Similar but can sound more negative or like you are avoiding something.

Opposites

Word family

hold verb

To keep something in your hand or keep it in a position.

Commonly confused: to hold off or hold on?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “to hold off”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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