postpone
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to put off to a later time; defer.
He has postponed his departure until tomorrow.
-
to place after in order of importance or estimation; subordinate.
to postpone private ambitions to the public welfare.
verb
-
to put off or delay until a future time
-
to put behind in order of importance; defer
Related Words
See defer 1.
Other Word Forms
- nonpostponable adjective
- postponable adjective
- postponement noun
- postponer noun
- repostpone verb (used with object)
- unpostponable adjective
- unpostponed adjective
- well-postponed adjective
Etymology
Origin of postpone
First recorded in 1490–1500; from Latin postpōnere “to put after, lay aside,” equivalent to post- post- + pōnere “to put”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The net effect is that 21% of the respondents in the sample decided to postpone their retirements.
From MarketWatch
Earlier this week, stocks advanced and investors cheered a social-media post from the president saying that the U.S. military would postpone strikes on Iranian power plants.
The government initially allowed 30 councils to postpone their elections, in order to deliver a major reorganisation of local government.
From BBC
Gulf states will want help with damage repairs, or their promises to invest in the U.S. could be postponed indefinitely.
From MarketWatch
"President Xi understood that it's very important for the president to be here throughout these combat operations right now. He understood obviously the request to postpone and accepted it."
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
