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Synonyms

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.

See Examples For:

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever tendered his resignation to King Philippe on Monday over deadlocked budget talks, but the monarch deferred his decision until after a new meeting Friday.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

The state contributed $80 million to the Oschin Center’s creation, and it is spending another $450 million on Expo’s deferred maintenance, accessibility and a new park along the complex’s south edge.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

Any aggressive policy-driven positioning in the currency market is likely to be deferred until next week, when policy meetings for both the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan are scheduled, she says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

He deferred federal taxes on the fuel and authorised supplies designated for farm use to be used in interstate trucking.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

She deferred to her husband, and he was unbending.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers

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