postpone

[pohst-pohn, pohs-]

See more synonyms for postpone on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), post·poned, post·pon·ing.

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.

Origin of postpone

1490–1500; < Latin postpōnere to put after, lay aside, equivalent to post- post- + pōnere to put

Related formspost·pon·a·ble, adjectivepost·pone·ment, nounpost·pon·er, nounnon·post·pon·a·ble, adjectivenon·post·pone·ment, nounre·post·pone, verb (used with object), re·post·poned, re·post·pon·ing.self-post·pone·ment, nounun·post·pon·a·ble, adjectiveun·post·poned, adjectivewell-post·poned, adjective

Synonym study

1. See defer¹.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for postpone

Contemporary Examples

His first prescription when I saw him was to have the CAT scan test that I had been forced to postpone for a month and a half.
My Insurance Company Killed Me, Despite Obamacare
Malcolm MacDougall
November 24, 2014
At this point, the photographer says, he decided that too many people knew about his trip and so he decided to postpone it.
Was U.S. Journalist Steven Sotloff a Marked Man?
Ben Taub
September 2, 2014
The prerequisite for this is for the U.S. to postpone current efforts for some kind of political transition among Syrians.
Face the Assad Reality In Syria
Frank G. Wisner, Leslie H. Gelb
January 26, 2014
We still need to see if that will happen, or if we need to postpone it.
‘Hocus Pocus’ Turns 20: Meet the Voice Behind Binx the Talking Cat
Kevin Fallon
October 31, 2013
The term allows us to postpone or cancel altogether our confrontation with the word we must use: human.
Senseless. Evil. Silver Linings. Our Misguided Terms of Terror.
William Giraldi
April 23, 2013

Historical Examples

Should she postpone it or should she let the boy take all of his hurts together?
Her Father's Daughter
Gene Stratton-Porter
And if I do obtain it, will postpone my appointment with Mr. Lovelace.
Clarissa, Volume 2 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
It is the fashion nowadays to postpone budgets as long as we can,—eh?
Alice, or The Mysteries, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Well, we will have to postpone our lesson in literature until afterwards.
In a Steamer Chair and Other Stories
Robert Barr
I have reasons that I cannot now explain, for all I do, and all I postpone.
The Room in the Dragon Volant
J. Sheridan LeFanu

British Dictionary definitions for postpone

postpone

verb (tr)

to put off or delay until a future time
to put behind in order of importance; defer

Derived Formspostponable, adjectivepostponement, nounpostponer, noun

Word Origin

C16: from Latin postpōnere to put after, neglect, from post- + ponere to place

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

Word Origin and History for postpone

v.

c.1500, from Latin postponere "put after; esteem less; neglect; postpone," from post "after" (see post-) + ponere "put, place" (see position (n.)). Related: Postponed; postponing.

postpone

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Synonym study

Examples from the Web for postpone

Contemporary Examples

His first prescription when I saw him was to have the CAT scan test that I had been forced to postpone for a month and a half.

At this point, the photographer says, he decided that too many people knew about his trip and so he decided to postpone it.

The prerequisite for this is for the U.S. to postpone current efforts for some kind of political transition among Syrians.

We still need to see if that will happen, or if we need to postpone it.

The term allows us to postpone or cancel altogether our confrontation with the word we must use: human.

Historical Examples

Should she postpone it or should she let the boy take all of his hurts together?

And if I do obtain it, will postpone my appointment with Mr. Lovelace.

It is the fashion nowadays to postpone budgets as long as we can,—eh?

Well, we will have to postpone our lesson in literature until afterwards.

I have reasons that I cannot now explain, for all I do, and all I postpone.

postpone

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for postpone

v.

Origin of postpone