postpone

[pohst-pohn, pohs-]

verb (used with object)

postponed, postponing 

1. to put off to a later time; defer.

   He has postponed his departure until tomorrow.

2. to place after in order of importance or estimation; subordinate.

   to postpone private ambitions to the public welfare.

postpone

/ pəʊstˈpəʊn, pəˈspəʊn /

verb

1. to put off or delay until a future time

2. to put behind in order of importance; defer

Other Word Forms

• postponable adjective
• postponement noun
• postponer noun
• nonpostponable adjective
• repostpone verb (used with object)
• unpostponable adjective
• unpostponed adjective
• well-postponed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of postpone¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; from Latin postpōnere “to put after, lay aside,” equivalent to post- post- + pōnere “to put”

Word History and Origins

Origin of postpone¹

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

Synonym Study

See defer ¹.

Example Sentences

Beard's sudden passing - which led to Liverpool's WSL fixture at Aston Villa being postponed - will no doubt have impacted many in the squad, who knew and played under him.

From BBC

Authorities say they have postponed the polls for security reasons in two Kurdish- controlled provinces and a third which saw deadly fighting between government forces and Druze militias.

From BBC

Demonstrations went ahead despite calls from ministers and police who called for protests to be postponed following Thursday's deadly synagogue attack in Manchester.

From BBC

When VCL postponed twice more, the couple started to think something was up.

From BBC

The one-hour film had originally been scheduled to be screened in August, but the BBC postponed it, saying at the time it was "respecting the family's wishes to wait a bit longer".

From BBC

Related Words

• adjourn 
• defer 
• delay 
• hold up 
• shelve 
• suspend