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Glite Dictionary
to bench the project

to bench the project

6.3
To stop work on a project for a time until things change
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : suspender el proyecto
  • Due to budget constraints, the company had to bench the project until next year.

Examples

  • Management decided to bench the project when new information came to light.

  • We should not bench the project unless we have a clear alternative plan.

  • Don't bench the project just yet!

  • We need to bench the project for now.

  • Due to budget constraints, the company had to bench the project until next year.

  • Management decided to bench the project when new information came to light.

  • We should not bench the project unless we have a clear alternative plan.

Synonyms

to stall
vsto bench the project
166 4.3

To delay doing something on purpose to get more time

pauses work for conditional or operational reasons rather than for tactics
to put on the back burner
vsto bench the project
1 5.6

To delay dealing with something until later and make it less important

holds work until set conditions require restarting rather than deprioritizing
to bench
vsto bench the project
  • Formal
1 7.4

To delay decision on a proposal until later

pauses actual work until conditions change rather than delaying discussion
to mothball a project
vsto bench the project
7.0

To stop work on a project for a time and start it again later

pauses work pending specific conditions rather than clear resume plan
to punt the project
vsto bench the project
  • Informal
8.8

Delay a project to work on more important tasks

pauses work until conditions are met rather than shifting focus elsewhere

Antonyms

to proceed
763 3.0

Begin or continue an action after a pause, often as planned

to resume
297 3.1

To start an activity again after a pause

How Active

to postpone
234 3.4
to bench the project
6.3
cancel
1.0

Surface Forms

bench the project infinitive
benched the project past
benched the project past participle
benching the project present participle
benches the project third person singular

Morphology

bench + the + project

Given that 'bench' (verb) means to postpone or put aside and 'project' means a planned piece of work, the meaning 'suspend or delay work on a project' is directly and compositionally derivable from the constituents. This follows normal English verb + object patterns (the verb 'bench' applied to an object) and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both words.

Etymology

The phrase bench the project comes from sports: when a coach puts a player on the bench, the player sits out the game to rest or wait. So to bench the project means to 'pause' or 'delay' the work, often for a while.