1
as in turned back
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2
as in put off
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for held off
Verb
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Among the vessels attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz during the ceasefire, several were fired upon and others turned back.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026 -
Time can only be turned back so far, even here, where history abounds.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Immediately after last year’s NFL draft, in which the Rams came away with two first-round picks in 2026, coach Sean McVay put off any hint of anticipation about how the team might leverage their bounty in this year’s draft.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
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Particularly, Kachka said, Ukraine is willing to put off receiving subsidies from the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, or CAP, for several years in an attempt to ease concerns over one of the bloc’s largest and most politically sensitive programs.—
Oliver Crook,
Bloomberg,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Investors have turned away from bonds in recent weeks, spooked by the specter of higher inflation from the Iran war.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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Johnson is also helping the family behind the WELLS Act, introduced in Congress last month, to prevent other women in active labor from being turned away at the hospital.—
Amy Eskind,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As OutKick previously reported, Megan broke off her relationship with the NBA star last week after accusing him of cheating.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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Sources confirm to People and TMZ that Zoë Kravitz and Channing Tatum broke off their engagement after three years together.—
Hannah Madlener,
Glamour,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But critics say Sheinbaum’s government has resisted taking steps against corrupt politicians linked to the ruling party.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
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Residents who resisted the charms of the governor’s multimillion-dollar press team were already raising an eyebrow at the bold claims and estimates.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That is a different standard than most organizations work under now, where outcomes can be explained, softened or deferred with the right language.—
Richard P. Weigand,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
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His cause of death was deferred.—
Rachel DeSantis,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Reggie Miller was opposed, but Kyle Korver and Larry Bird were open to it.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
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Democrats have opposed the president’s efforts but long ago sacrificed the moral high ground.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When shots were fired, hundreds of attendees ducked under tables or took cover inside the ballroom before being evacuated, and the event was subsequently postponed.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
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OpenAI is similarly seeking to go public as soon as this year, but that goal could be postponed depending on the trial’s outcome.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Held off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/held%20off. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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