held off
Delayed taking action
Held off means kept at a distance or delayed.
You hold off an attacker by preventing their advance: Security held off the crowd.
You hold off on a decision by postponing it: We held off on buying until prices dropped.
Rain that holds off doesn't arrive yet: The storm held off until after the game.
Successfully opposed or survived
- repelledDrove away forcefully
- rebuffedRejected someone's advances
- repulsedRejected with disgust
- deflectedCaused to veer off
blocked · thwarted · countered · opposed · defied · deterred · beat back · turned away
Made to wait longer
- deferredSet aside until later
- suspendedHalted or hanging temporarily
- tabledDeferred for later
- shelvedDeferred or stored away
adjourned · rescheduled · stalled · mothballed · stayed · pending · awaiting · paused
Stayed in expectation
Kept from harm
- guardedWary and restrained
- fortifiedMade more resistant
- shieldedProtected from harm
- securedMade fast or obtained
barricaded · blockaded · garrisoned · entrenched · safeguarded · reinforced · buttressed · dug in
withstood
Successfully opposed or survived
deflected · blocked · thwarted · countered · opposed · defied · deterred · beat back · turned away · kept away
delayed
Made to wait longer
shelved · adjourned · rescheduled · stalled · mothballed · stayed · pending · awaiting · paused · procrastinated
waited
Stayed in expectation
paused · hung back · stood back · forbore · stayed calm
protected
Kept from harm
secured · barricaded · blockaded · garrisoned · entrenched · safeguarded · reinforced · buttressed · dug in
held offproceeded
Went on, moved forward
went ahead · acted · took action · jumped in · engaged
held offyielded
Gave way or produced
gave in · surrendered · succumbed · capitulated · caved
hold, off, held, holder, household, holding, threshold, holds, held back