deferred
Americanadjective
-
postponed or delayed.
-
suspended or withheld for or until a certain time or event.
a deferred payment; deferred taxes.
-
classified as temporarily exempt from induction into military service.
adjective
-
withheld over a certain period; postponed
a deferred payment
-
(of shares) ranking behind other types of shares for dividend
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deferred
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.
Former CSB and Environmental Protection Agency officials, as well as industry safety experts, attribute much of the rise in accidents to years of deferred safety maintenance on aging plants.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
The recipient should also budget $1.5 million a year to maintain existing infrastructure and catch up on deferred maintenance, according to Bhakta’s website.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
O'Dwyer deferred to Lloyd as the company owner to decide the final route but raised valid concerns, such as the drop over the weir.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Niki’s musical genius is frequently alluded to, dreams deferred by his hearing disorder, and Woodall physically communicates that repressed frustration.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
But my dream had to be deferred, for I learned very quickly of the extensive plans that the ANC had for me, and none of them involved a relaxing journey to the Transkei.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
