he held off until

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he held off until" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone delayed or postponed an action or decision until a certain point in time. Example: "He held off until the last minute to submit his application, hoping for a better opportunity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

His grandfather promised him a car if he would not smoke cigarettes until he turned 21 but when he held off until then all he received was a motorcycle.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Shakespeare's usual comic-relief method was to insert short scenes of rustic, unimportant people being ridiculous between longer scenes involving important people and plot lines, but in "The Winter's Tale" he holds off until Act II (originally Act III), and then it goes on almost forever.

The New York Times

He claimed that if the gas pinch had held off until 1981 Chrysler would have had a dominant position in the small-car market.

The New Yorker

(He held off on major philanthropy until late in his life, ostensibly for that reason).

The New York Times - Books

Charlton responds that he held off on discussions only until 12 February, when 13 members of the Editorial Advisory Board sent Elsevier a letter supporting him.

Science Magazine

In North Carolina, official decisions about coastal-county evacuations were being held off until Monday or Tuesday.

The New York Times

Though Obama made clear he supported Hillary Clinton's bid for president in speeches and interviews, he held off on officially endorsing her until the party process had concluded.

Huffington Post

Judge Snow in February 2010 found grounds to sanction the sheriff's office for throwing away or shredding some records of traffic stops made during the immigration patrols, but he held off on actually imposing the punishment until Friday.

The New York Times

Fortunately he holds off his pessimism until the end of "Bookshops" (so named because its seasoned translator, Peter Bush, is British) since his real purpose is to celebrate bookstores.

The New York Times - Books

Fieger said he held off announcing the lawsuit until balloting of the 5,777 voting members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences had closed yesterday.

The Guardian

Next chance of rain holds off until Thursday night.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the phrase "he held off until" to clearly indicate a deliberate postponement or delay of an action or decision, emphasizing the condition that triggered the eventual action. For example: "He held off until the end of the quarter to announce the new product."

Common error

Avoid using "he held off until" when simply meaning 'he waited'. "Held off" implies a more active decision to postpone, often due to specific circumstances or a strategic reason. Using "he waited until" might be more appropriate in scenarios lacking this intentional delay.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he held off until" functions as a verb phrase indicating the postponement of an action or decision. Ludwig examples show its use in various contexts, emphasizing the intentional delay pending a specific event or condition.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he held off until" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to indicate the intentional postponement of an action until a specific condition or time. Ludwig's examples illustrate its prevalence in news and media, suggesting a neutral register. While it conveys a deliberate deferral, it's important to distinguish it from mere waiting. This phrase is effective for emphasizing the reasons behind the delay and the conditions that triggered the eventual action.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he postponed until

Replaces "held off" with "postponed", emphasizing a formal delay.

he delayed until

Substitutes "held off" with "delayed", indicating a slowing down or postponement.

he waited until

Uses "waited" instead of "held off", focusing on the act of waiting for a specific time.

he put off until

Replaces "held off" with "put off", a common phrasal verb for delaying.

he refrained until

Replaces "held off" with "refrained", indicating a conscious decision to abstain until a certain point.

he deferred until

Uses "deferred" instead of "held off", suggesting a more formal postponement to a later time.

he suspended until

Substitutes "held off" with "suspended", implying a temporary cessation until a specific time.

he reserved until

Replaces "held off" with "reserved", indicating something kept back for later use or action.

he desisted until

Uses "desisted" instead of "held off", suggesting a cessation of action until a specific moment.

he ceased until

Replaces "held off" with "ceased", implying a complete stop until a certain point.

FAQs

What does "he held off until" mean?

The phrase "he held off until" means that someone delayed or postponed doing something until a particular time or event. It suggests a deliberate decision to wait before taking action.

What can I say instead of "he held off until"?

You can use alternatives such as "he waited until", "he delayed until", or "he postponed until" depending on the context.

Is "he held off until" formal or informal?

"He held off until" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. The formality depends more on the surrounding language and situation.

How do I use "he held off until" in a sentence?

You can use "he held off until" to show that someone intentionally delayed an action. For example: "He held off until the last minute to make his final decision" or "He held off until all the data was collected before starting the analysis".