postponed; postponing

transitive verb

1
: to put off to a later time : defer
2
a
: to place later (as in a sentence) than the normal position in English
postpone an adjective
b
: to place later in order of precedence, preference, or importance
postponer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for postpone

defer, postpone, suspend, stay mean to delay an action or proceeding.

defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.

deferred buying a car until spring

postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.

the game is postponed until Saturday

suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied.

business will be suspended while repairs are underway

stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.

the governor stayed the execution

Examples of postpone in a Sentence

The baseball game was postponed until tomorrow because of rain. we'll have to postpone a decision until we have all the information
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Shakira has been hospitalized in Lima, Peru, and will postpone the show she was slated to perform Sunday (Feb. 16) as part of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran tour. Leila Cobo, Billboard, 16 Feb. 2025 The singer noted the show will be postponed to a later date and said her team is working with the concert promoter on rescheduling. Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 16 Feb. 2025 Hours after that news broke, several Oscar presenters, including Cate Blanchett and Jim Carrey, stepped down from their roles, and the show’s broadcaster, ABC, asked that it be postponed. Radhika Seth, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2025 Earlier this week, Hamas claimed that Israel was not holding up its end of the ceasefire agreement by delaying the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza, targeting them with gunfire and slowing down aid and said the hostage-prisoner exchange would be postponed. Jon Haworth, ABC News, 15 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for postpone 

Word History

Etymology

Latin postponere to place after, postpone, from post- + ponere to place — more at position

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of postpone was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near postpone

Cite this Entry

“Postpone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postpone. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

postponed; postponing
: to put off (as an action or event) until a later time
rain forced us to postpone the picnic

Legal Definition

postpone

transitive verb
post·​pone
postponed; postponing
1
: to put off to a later time
2
: to place later in precedence, preference, or importance
specifically : to subordinate (a lien) to a later lien
postponable adjective
postponement noun

More from Merriam-Webster on postpone

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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