as in to postpone
to assign to a later time
we agreed to defer a discussion of the issue until we had more information
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Recent Examples of defer
Commissioners deferred the vote on the plan to June 9 over landscaping concerns.
—
Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 16 May 2025
The Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped or deferred more than a dozen enforcement cases against Ripple, Coinbase, Gemini, Kraken and other crypto promoters.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Ellis, 79, walked across the graduation stage at Clayton State University in Morrow, Ga., on Saturday, May 10, 60 years after deferring college to prioritize her family, per 11Alive.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 14 May 2025
Eventually, bills come due from such decisions (including deferring the 2025 first-rounder due to the Thunder this June).
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for defer
Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 16 May 2025
The Securities and Exchange Commission has dropped or deferred more than a dozen enforcement cases against Ripple, Coinbase, Gemini, Kraken and other crypto promoters.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Ellis, 79, walked across the graduation stage at Clayton State University in Morrow, Ga., on Saturday, May 10, 60 years after deferring college to prioritize her family, per 11Alive.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 14 May 2025
Eventually, bills come due from such decisions (including deferring the 2025 first-rounder due to the Thunder this June).
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for defer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defer
Verb
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Some bankers, for example, are telling their clients to postpone M&A until U.S. trade policy becomes clearer.—
Rusty Wiley,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
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Hartford Courant Central opener postponed: Thursday’s games in the NEC tournament in Wappingers Falls, N.Y. were postponed due to rain.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
22 May 2025
Verb
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At least three lawsuits have been filed against the company for delaying the features and circulating misleading iPhone 16 ads regarding Apple Intelligence.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
26 May 2025
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Kristi Durbin, immunization and travel division manager at El Paso County Public Health, said parents delayed routine health care during the pandemic.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defer. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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