put off

verb

put off; putting off; puts off

transitive verb

1

a

: disconcert

b

: repel

2

a

: to hold back to a later time

b

: to induce to wait

put the bill collector off

3

: to rid oneself of : take off

4

: to sell or pass fraudulently

Synonyms

• defer
• delay
• hold off (on)
• hold over
• hold up
• lay over
• postpone
• put over
• remit
• shelve

Examples of put off in a Sentence

never put off until tomorrow what you can do today

put off your coat and stay awhile

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet the fresh financing only put off the inevitable and Tupperware shuttered its sole U.S. factory in South Carolina earlier this year, while its shares have sunk by 75% in the year to date and last traded at just 51 cents. —Mark Faithfull, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024

Landlords are put off by agency red tape and things like mandatory inspections to make sure a property is safe. —Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 19 Sep. 2024

Zoom in: Hearing loss is widespread, but many people put off dealing with the issue. —Ina Fried, Axios, 11 Sep. 2024

Clinton nevertheless put off Jack’s release by six years. —Carolyn Eastman, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

put off

verb

1

: to cause negative feelings in

your sloppy appearance put them off

2

: to hold back to a later time : defer

put off my visit to the dentist

3

: to rid oneself of

put off your coat