Showing results for postpone. Search instead for t postpone.

Synonyms

postpone

American

[pohst-pohn, pohs-] / poʊstˈpoʊn, poʊs- /

verb (used with object)

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.

postpone British

/ pəʊstˈpəʊn, pəˈspəʊn /

verb

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

"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

Synonym Usage

See defer ¹.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

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!"

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing postpone

Anti-Antonyms: Words Without Opposites

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Bridge to Terabithia

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Smile

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

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:

postpone postpones postponed postponing

Last year, Manilow revealed that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and that surgery would require him to postpone several performances.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

Smart-ring maker Oura was the latest company to postpone its initial public offering when it said Tuesday it was delaying the offering because of “uncertainty in the IPO market.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

That added heat helped postpone autumn freeze-up, which in turn extended the melt season.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 23, 2026

It could also postpone the products and revenue intended to justify those investments.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

We’d have to temporarily postpone our expedition to the Grand Canyon, he told us.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

“Nor does it suggest that the Executive Branch has any constitutional or statutory authority to implement the President’s directives. Instead, today’s decision merely postpones adjudication of those challenges.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

“Today’s decision merely postpones adjudication of those challenges,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in one dissent, joined by Justice Elena Kagan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

Plus, Trump postpones AI order, and ‘The Sound of Music’ is the secret to U.S.-China diplomacy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026

The plan also postpones more complex negotiations over its nuclear programme, a major sticking point for Trump.

From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026

Omitting verse 14, the Greek inserts between 13 and 15 the Oracles on Foreign Nations, which the Hebrew postpones to Chs.

From Jeremiah : Being The Baird Lecture for 1922 by Sir George Adam Smith

Finnish smart-ring maker Oura postponed its public offering last month blaming “uncertainty in the IPO market.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

The tax-exempt status also isn’t clear-cut because the payment is only postponed and each state has its own rules for fuel taxes.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026

Across the 11 games played in League One and League Two on Saturday – nine postponed because of international call-ups – only three had attendances less than their home average for the season.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

The new ISS crew was initially meant to arrive in mid-September, but its launch was postponed due to a leak aboard the Dragon.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

At last a white policeman was stationed behind the privies to keep the children away and our course in human anatomy was postponed.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

“It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026

U.S. assistance may also be about postponing some unpleasant financial developments at home.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Castellucci is accused of postponing work on pier number 9 and faces 18 years in prison.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

Critics say it’s just postponing coal’s inevitable demise.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026

Mayor Grabarek ended the meeting by postponing any decision on the Bacon Street project and appointing a committee to look into black demands.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023