Hold off sth Meaning, Examples & How to Use in English

What Does “Hold off sth” Mean?

“Hold off sth” means to delay or postpone something. It is used when you want to stop an action or event from happening immediately.

Introduction

The phrase “hold off sth” is a common phrasal verb in English that means to delay or put something off for a while. Understanding the hold off sth meaning helps learners communicate more clearly when discussing plans or decisions that need to be postponed. This expression is especially useful in both casual and formal conversations, such as when talking about delaying a meeting, a decision, or an action. Knowing how to use this phrase correctly will make your English sound more natural and fluent.

Quick Info Box

• Phrasal verb: hold off something
• Type: transitive
• Level: B1 (Intermediate)
• Short meaning: to delay or postpone something

Structure (Grammar Rules)

The phrasal verb “hold off” is separable when used with an object, meaning you can put the object between “hold” and “off” or after “off.”

• hold off something
• hold something off

Examples:

• We decided to hold off the meeting until next week.
• Can you hold the decision off for a few days?

How to Use “Hold off sth”?

You use “hold off sth” when you want to say that something is being delayed or postponed. It often refers to actions, events, decisions, or plans. The phrase can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It is commonly followed by nouns such as “decision,” “meeting,” “payment,” or “action.”

Examples

Here are some examples of hold off sth in a sentence to help you understand its use better:

• The company decided to hold off the product launch due to supply issues.
• Let’s hold off the payment until we receive the invoice.
• They held off the construction work because of the bad weather.
• Can we hold off the meeting until everyone is available?
• She asked to hold off the decision until she had more information.

Common Mistakes

Many learners confuse the word order or use incorrect objects with “hold off.” Here are some common mistakes and how to correct them:

• Incorrect: Hold off on the meeting tomorrow.
  Correct: Hold off the meeting tomorrow.
• Incorrect: I will hold the off payment.
  Correct: I will hold off the payment.
• Incorrect: They hold off to decide.
  Correct: They hold off the decision.

Differences / Synonyms

Similar phrasal verbs like “put off,” “delay,” and “postpone” share meanings with “hold off sth,” but there are subtle differences.

• Put off: Often interchangeable with “hold off,” but “put off” can also mean to discourage or annoy.
• Delay: More formal and neutral, used for official or scheduled postponements.
• Postpone: Formal and usually used in official contexts like meetings or events.

“Hold off” often implies a temporary or cautious delay, sometimes with the idea of waiting for more information.

Common Collocations

Here are some frequent objects used with “hold off” and their meanings:

• Hold off the decision: Delay making a choice.
• Hold off the meeting: Postpone a scheduled gathering.
• Hold off payment: Delay paying money owed.
• Hold off action: Wait before doing something.
• Hold off the storm: Prevent or delay bad weather impact (figurative or literal).

Related Phrasal Verbs

Here are related phrasal verbs of hold off sth:

• Hold Sb Up
• Hold Sth Off
• Hold On To Sth
• Hold Onto Sth
• Hold Sth Out

Real-life Dialogue

Here is a short conversation using “hold off sth” naturally:

Anna: Should we start the project now?

Ben: I think we should hold off the project until we get approval from the manager.

Anna: Good idea. It’s better to wait than rush.

Practice

Try to complete the sentences by choosing the correct form of “hold off sth”:

• They decided to _______ the meeting until next week.
  a) hold off
  b) hold off on
  c) hold off the
• Can we _______ the payment until the invoice arrives?
  a) hold off
  b) hold off the
  c) hold something off

FAQs

• What does “hold off sth” mean?
  It means to delay or postpone something.
• Is “hold off” separable?
  Yes, you can place the object between “hold” and “off” or after “off.”
• Can I use “hold off” in formal writing?
  Yes, it is acceptable in both formal and informal contexts.
• What are common objects with “hold off”?
  Decision, meeting, payment, action, and launch are common objects.
• Is “hold off” the same as “put off”?
  They are similar, but “put off” can also mean to discourage, while “hold off” focuses on delaying.