Have you ever heard someone say, “Let’s hold off for now,” and wondered exactly what they meant? I know this phrase can be confusing at first because “hold off” is a phrasal verb, and its meaning can change slightly depending on the context.
In everyday English, hold off most commonly means to delay doing something or to wait before taking action. It can also describe rain or a storm that does not start immediately, or someone successfully resisting an attack or challenge.
In this guide, I’ll explain the hold off meaning, how to use it naturally, common sentence patterns, examples, related expressions, and mistakes to avoid. By the end, you’ll be able to use “hold off” confidently in both conversation and writing.
What Does “Hold Off” Mean?
Hold off is a phrasal verb that generally means to delay, postpone, or wait before doing something.
For example:
“I’m going to hold off buying a new phone until the price drops.”
Here, “hold off” means wait before buying.
According to Cambridge Dictionary, “hold off” can mean not doing something immediately. It is commonly followed by an -ing form when referring to an action.
Quick Meaning of “Hold Off”
| Meaning | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Delay an action | Wait before doing something | I’ll hold off making a decision. |
| Wait for a better time | Postpone something temporarily | Let’s hold off until Monday. |
| Stay away or resist | Keep someone or something from advancing | They held off the attackers. |
| Delay rain or a storm | Rain does not begin immediately | The rain held off all afternoon. |
Hold Off Meaning in Everyday English
The most common use of hold off is to tell someone that you want to wait before doing something.
Imagine that I’m planning to buy a new laptop. If I think prices might fall soon, I could say:
“I’m going to hold off buying a laptop for a few weeks.”
I’m not saying that I will never buy one. I simply want to wait before making the purchase.
Here are some more examples:
- I decided to hold off making a final decision.
- We should hold off on ordering the furniture.
- She is holding off applying for the job.
- They held off announcing the news.
- Let’s hold off until we have more information.
This is why hold off is especially useful when you want to describe a temporary delay.
“Hold Off” vs. “Hold Off On”
You’ll often see hold off followed by on.
For example:
“We decided to hold off on the purchase.”
Here, “hold off on” means delay or postpone something.
Both structures are common:
Hold off + -ing
“Please hold off making a decision.”
Hold off on + noun/gerund
“Please hold off on the decision.”
“Please hold off on making a decision.”
Cambridge also lists hold off on as a common American English construction.
Hold Off Until
Another very useful pattern is:
hold off + until + time/event
This means you wait until a particular point before doing something.
For example:
“Let’s hold off until tomorrow.”
“I’ll hold off making the announcement until everyone arrives.”
“They decided to hold off until they received more information.”
This structure is especially natural in workplace conversations, planning, and everyday discussions.
Hold Off Meaning When Talking About Weather
“Hold off” has another interesting meaning when we talk about rain or storms.
If rain holds off, it means the rain does not begin immediately.
For example:
“Luckily, the rain held off during our picnic.”
This means the rain stayed away long enough for the picnic to continue.
You might also hear:
“I hope the rain holds off until we get home.”
Oxford Dictionary gives the same general weather-related use: when rain or a storm holds off, it does not start.
Here are a few natural examples:
- The rain held off long enough for the game to finish.
- I hope the storm holds off tonight.
- Fortunately, the rain held off during the wedding.
- The weather held off until we reached the hotel.
Hold Someone Off: Another Meaning
There is another construction that is slightly different:
hold someone/something off
Here, it means to prevent someone or something from defeating, attacking, or advancing against you.
For example:
“The defenders managed to hold off the opposing team.”
This means the defenders successfully resisted the opposing team’s efforts.
Another example:
“She held off her competitors and won the race.”
In this sentence, she prevented her competitors from catching or overtaking her.
Oxford and Cambridge both recognize this meaning of hold off as resisting or preventing someone from defeating you.
How to Use “Hold Off” Correctly
When I use “hold off,” I usually think about three simple questions:
1. Am I talking about delaying an action?
If yes, hold off is probably appropriate.
“I’ll hold off buying it.”
2. Am I waiting for a specific time?
Use hold off until.
“Let’s hold off until next week.”
3. Am I talking about resisting a person or challenge?
Use hold someone/something off.
“The team held off its opponents.”
Understanding the context makes this phrasal verb much easier to use correctly.
Common Mistakes With “Hold Off”
Mistake 1: Using “hold off” when you mean cancel
Hold off normally suggests a delay, not permanent cancellation.
Incorrect idea:
“We held off the project forever.”
Better:
“We held off starting the project until next month.”
If you mean permanently stop something, words such as cancel, abandon, or withdraw may be more appropriate.
Mistake 2: Forgetting “on” in certain sentences
When followed by a noun, hold off on is very common.
“We’ll hold off on the purchase.”
However, hold off doing something is also grammatical:
“We’ll hold off buying it.”
So both patterns can be correct depending on the sentence.
Mistake 3: Confusing “hold off” with “hold on”
These expressions are different.
Hold on can mean wait briefly or continue holding something.
“Hold on for a minute.”
Hold off usually means delay an action or resist something.
“Let’s hold off making the decision.”
Learning this distinction can prevent a lot of confusion.
Hold Off vs. Put Off
Put off and hold off can both mean delay or postpone, but they don’t always sound exactly the same.
“I put off doing my homework.”
“I held off doing my homework until after dinner.”
“Put off” often focuses simply on postponement, while “hold off” can suggest deliberately waiting before taking action.
Collins lists put off, delay, postpone, and defer among related expressions for “hold off.”
More Examples of “Hold Off”
Here are some examples you can use to understand the phrase naturally:
- I’m going to hold off buying a new car.
- Let’s hold off until we hear from the manager.
- She decided to hold off making a complaint.
- We should hold off on the meeting until everyone arrives.
- They held off announcing the results.
- The rain held off throughout the afternoon.
- I hope the storm holds off until tomorrow.
- The players managed to hold off their opponents.
- He held off making a decision because he needed more information.
- We are holding off on the project for now.
Practice Exercise
Try filling in the blanks with hold off, holds off, or held off.
- Let’s ______ making a decision until Friday.
- The rain ______ long enough for the ceremony.
- They decided to ______ on buying a new car.
- The team ______ its opponents until the final whistle.
- I think we should ______ until we know more.
Answers:
- hold off
- held off
- hold off
- held off
- hold off
Final Tips for Remembering the Hold Off Meaning
The easiest way I remember hold off is to connect it with the idea of waiting or keeping something away.
When you hold off doing something, you delay it.
“I’ll hold off making the decision.”
When you hold off on something, you postpone it.
“We’ll hold off on the purchase.”
When rain holds off, it does not start yet.
“The rain held off until evening.”
And when you hold someone off, you resist or prevent them from advancing.
“The team held off its opponents.”
So, if you’re learning the hold off meaning, remember these four ideas: delay, postpone, stay away, and resist.
Final Word
“Hold off” is a useful English phrasal verb that you’ll encounter frequently in conversations, news reports, business discussions, and everyday writing. Its most common meaning is to delay doing something or wait before taking action, but its meaning can change depending on the context.
Once you understand expressions such as hold off on, hold off until, and hold someone off, the phrase becomes much easier to recognize and use naturally.
My best advice is to practice it in your own sentences. Try describing something you are planning to delay, a rainy day, or a situation where someone is resisting a challenge. The more you use hold off in context, the more natural it will feel.