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deferred

American  
[dih-furd] / dɪˈfɜrd /

adjective

  1. postponed or delayed.

  2. suspended or withheld for or until a certain time or event.

    a deferred payment; deferred taxes.

  3. classified as temporarily exempt from induction into military service.


deferred British  
/ dɪˈfɜːd /

adjective

  1. withheld over a certain period; postponed

    a deferred payment

  2. (of shares) ranking behind other types of shares for dividend

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of deferred

First recorded in 1645–55; defer 1 + -ed 2

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.

Deferred annuities, as the name suggests, are intended for long-term financial planning and building a nest egg for income in several years to come.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 12, 2026

As a teenager, she applied to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, paid her fee and was fingerprinted for a background check.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

He had lived in Westminster since he was 4 years old, and had previously been protected from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 22, 2025

Deferred compensation plans can help, if workers have access to them, he said.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 27, 2025

Deferred payments Sales usually were for the full price, or the agreed price, paid down at once.

From Babylonian and Assyrian Laws, Contracts and Letters by Johns, C. H. W. (Claude Hermann Walter)

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