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Glite Dictionary
to postpone

to postpone

234 3.4
To delay something until a later time because of a problem
  • verb
  • /poʊstˈpoʊn/
translation icon : aplazar
  • We need to postpone the meeting until next week due to scheduling conflicts.
  • postpone indefinitely
  • postpone a decision
  • postpone elections

I wanted to do internships to delay and postpone graduation.

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Examples

  • The windows couldn't open, so we postponed it until we could find a room with better ventilation.

    Here (2024)

  • Press officials say because of the tragedy, the Apollo 1 flight has now been postponed indefinitely.

    Fly Me to the Moon (2024)

  • So we want to try and hope to postpone this as much as possible if we can.

    ZOE

  • Um, obviously, we need to postpone the wedding, but...

    I Can't Breathe (God Forgive Them) (2022)

  • Just try to postpone it as long as possible.

    She's the Man (2006)

  • I had to postpone the party.

    The Dentist (1996)

  • I have to postpone delivery.

    The Corruptor (1999)

  • We're going to have to postpone the Rapatinsky case.

  • Due to a technical problem with our radar tracking system, all flights are postponed until further notice.

    Rat Race (2001)

  • Overseas problems, particularly if they are controversial, are often neglected or postponed until election pressures are over.

    Academic text (1992)

Synonyms

to delay
vsto postpone
562 1.4

To make something happen later than planned

is about arranging a later time rather than slowing progress
to stall
vsto postpone
166 4.3

To delay doing something on purpose to get more time

is a neutral delay without implying deliberate intent
to put off
vsto postpone
113 2.9

Delay something until a later time

is the neutral term used across contexts
to reschedule
vsto postpone
109 3.0

Move a planned event to a new time

is the broader idea of moving something to a later time
to hold off
vsto postpone
78 3.8

To wait before doing something

is about setting a later time rather than pausing action
to hold off on
vsto postpone
37 4.2

To wait before doing something

is concerned with arranging a later time rather than waiting
to defer
vsto postpone
  • Formal
15 5.5

To delay something until a later time

is the general act of arranging a later time
to table
vsto postpone
  • Formal
13 7.3

To delay discussion or a decision about something until later

is used more generally, not only for formal proposal consideration
to scrub
vsto postpone
12 5.6

To cancel a planned event, often at short notice

is about moving events to a later time not cancelling them
to shelve
vsto postpone
11 5.0

To stop work on a plan or project for now

is about arranging a later time rather than shelving permanently
to hold over
vsto postpone
1 4.6

To keep something for use or sale after its planned time

focuses on moving something to a later time rather than extending duration

Antonyms

advance
72 4.2

Sent or done before the main group arrives

How Delayed

to suspend
141 3.9
to defer
  • Formal
15 5.5
to postpone
234 3.4
to delay
562 1.4

Surface Forms

postpone infinitive
postponed past
postponed past participle
postponing present participle
postpones third person singular

Morphology

postpone = post + pone

The productive prefix 'post-' ('after') signals a temporal shift that matches the meaning, but the verbal base 'pone' is not a standalone English word, so the full internal structure is not fully recoverable by learners.

Etymology

Postpone comes from the Latin parts post- 'after' and ponere 'to put'. So to postpone something is like 'putting it after' its first time, which is why it means to move an event to a later time.