Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

hold off

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 5.12 in modern English

Syllables: hold off
IPA

17

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

1

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To delay (someone or something) temporarily; to keep at bay.

Transitive verb

verb

To delay commencing (an action until some specified time or event has passed).

Intransitive verb; Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"Let's try to hold off the lawyers until we are ready for them."
"The breakthrough came after 63 minutes as United’s unorthodox defence desperately tried to hold off a spell of sustained pressure."
"Hold off (on) the decision one more day so I can answer your question."
"Hold off (on) baking until I get there."

Usage

Inflected Forms

holds off (present, singular) holding off (participle, present) held off (participle, past) held off (past)

Derived Forms

holdoff

Phrases

fend off hold it hold on hold up

Frequently Paired Words

fend off forhold hold it hold on hold up

Synonyms

postpone put off wait hold back

Questions

What does hold off mean?: To delay (someone or something) temporarily; to keep at bay.

How to pronounce hold off

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “hold off”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “hold off” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.