postpone
Americanverb (used with object)
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postpones,
present (3rd person singular)
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postponed,
past participle, past
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postponing
present participle
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to put off to a later time; defer.
He has postponed his departure until tomorrow.
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to place after in order of importance or estimation; subordinate.
to postpone private ambitions to the public welfare.
verb
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to put off or delay until a future time
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to put behind in order of importance; defer
Synonym Usage
See defer 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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postponementnoun
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postponernoun
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repostponeverb (used with object)
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nonpostponableadjective
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postponableadjective
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unpostponableadjective
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unpostponedadjective
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well-postponedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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postponesimple
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postponessimple
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have postponedperfect
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has postponedperfect
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am postponingprogressive
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are postponingprogressive
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is postponingprogressive
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have been postponingperfect progressive
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has been postponingperfect progressive
Past
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postponedsimple
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had postponedperfect
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was postponingprogressive
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were postponingprogressive
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had been postponingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of postpone
First recorded in 1490–1500; from Latin postpōnere “to put after, lay aside,” equivalent to post- post- + pōnere “to put”
Explanation
To postpone something is to put it off until later. You can postpone an appointment today and reschedule it for tomorrow. Anything you're putting for is being postponed: people postpone things they don't have time to do or just don't want to do. Since doctor and dental appointments are no fun, people postpone them a lot. You can postpone small things, like going to the store or watching a video. The government can postpone big things, like the passing of bills or the invasion of another country. People who procrastinate are constantly postponing. When you see the word postpone, think "Later!"
Vocabulary lists containing postpone
Anti-Antonyms: Words Without Opposites
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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:
The latest bit of bad news was a report by Bloomberg that nuclear service provider Holtec decided to postpone its initial public offering that had been expected to price today.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
It could also postpone the products and revenue intended to justify those investments.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
You can only postpone the conversation and raise the eventual price.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Faced with the decision of whether to continue her final year, or postpone her exams and restart the year completely following her rehabilitation, Hunt powered on to avoid her final year clashing with the Olympics.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
It is a technology designed to make up for disease, or to postpone death.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
The plan also postpones more complex negotiations over its nuclear programme, a major sticking point for Trump.
From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026
For the huge insurer, that only postpones the pain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
It postpones certain tax-filing deadlines for Americans and their spouses who are wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad.
From Slate ● Nov. 20, 2024
Donald Glover, whose music alter ego is Childish Gambino, postpones the remaining dates on the North American leg of his tour to focus on his physical health.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2024
It has a rapid course, and tracheotomy only postpones the end for a little while, if at all.
From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various
“Monday’s scheduled meeting of Gulf and Iranian leaders in Oman was postponed, but our understanding is talks are still ongoing, and making progress,” he added.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
But on Monday, a federal district court judge in Massachusetts postponed the effective date on the grounds that—and I am paraphrasing here—the rule is mind-bendingly stupid and would create a needless, self-inflicted economic catastrophe.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Meanwhile, Oman said it had postponed talks between Iran and Gulf states on the future of the strategic waterway, a vital route for a large share of the world's seaborne oil trade.
From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026
Gabriel would have been looking to a Premier League 2 Manchester derby at City on Saturday evening, but that game has been postponed because of United's various Thursday European commitments.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
And after all he never had any real hope in the affair from the beginning; but being a cheerful hobbit he had not needed hope, as long as despair could be postponed.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
In the final agreement, the supervisory board only asked Blume and his team to “develop a model for an evolved decision-making and group structure,” postponing the power struggle to another day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
But he warned against allowing the choice to become an excuse for postponing saving.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
“Waiting and postponing is not, in my opinion, an option.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Castellucci is accused of postponing work on pier number 9 and faces 18 years in prison.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
His frustration grew when he read a letter from Emma postponing the wedding five days.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
