hold decision

USAGE SUMMARY

"hold decision" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that someone should put off making a decision. For example, "The board voted to hold decision until more information had been gathered."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Usually hold decision is the majority in comparison to both buy and sell decisions.

Neurocomputing

"Information can help to build trust between governments and citizens, allowing people to exercise their rights, hold decision makers to account, reduce corruption and make more informed choices in their daily lives".

The Guardian

"Information can help to build trust between governments and citizens, allowing people to exercise their rights, hold decision makers to account, reduce corruption and make more informed choices in their daily lives". But for people in developing countries to benefit from information in this way, they need to be able to access it and empowered to use it.

The Guardian

Air America worked to hold decision makers accountable on progressive issues such as health care, women's rights, the economy and foreign affairs, to name a few.

Huffington Post

We must make the process more transparent and collaborative, and we must reduce the estimated $2 trillion compliance cost and hold decision makers accountable.

HuffPost

Capacity-building of those who would like to see research evidence used by policymakers (advocacy organisations) is also warranted to ensure that research findings are shared, with fair credibility and without distortion and exaggeration, for 'healthy' knowledge translation, and to hold decision makers accountable.

Health Research Policy and Systems

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

The core function of democracy is the ability of the public to hold decision-makers to account.

The Guardian - Opinion

Brown said he and other community members need to hold decision-makers accountable for the efficiency of the system.

The Washington Post

It's a good example of why the Australian community needs access to the law to hold decision-makers and corporations to account, and to protect our environment".

The Guardian - Business

Not all data gaps need to be filled – just those that hinder choices about improving nutrition and those that are needed to hold decision-makers accountable.

The Guardian

These combined authorities in turn must establish overview and scrutiny committees of local councillors, to hold decision-makers to account – mirroring the arrangements which apply to most local authorities.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hold decision" when you want to clearly state that a decision is being intentionally delayed for further consideration or until more information is available. This avoids ambiguity and directly communicates the postponement.

Common error

Avoid using "hold decision" to mean a final, irreversible decision. It signifies a temporary state of suspension, not a permanent resolution. Using it otherwise could lead to misunderstandings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hold decision" functions as a verbal phrase used to describe the action of postponing or delaying a decision. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hold decision" is a correct and usable phrase that signifies the postponement of a decision, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While not extremely common, it appears across various contexts, including news, science, and formal business settings. The phrase's purpose is to communicate that a resolution is being intentionally delayed, often for further consideration or until more information is available. Alternatives include "defer decision", "postpone decision", and "delay decision". It is crucial to use "hold decision" to mean a temporary suspension of a decision, rather than a final one.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

put decision on hold

Rephrases "hold decision" with a slightly different word order.

defer decision

Replaces "hold" with "defer", emphasizing postponement to a later time.

postpone decision

Synonymous with "defer decision", highlighting the act of delaying.

delay decision

Similar to "defer" and "postpone", focusing on the act of making something happen later.

delay making a decision

Adds more explicit phrasing around the act of delaying a decision.

shelve decision

Suggests putting the decision aside, possibly indefinitely.

table decision

A more formal way of saying "shelve decision", often used in meetings.

suspend decision

Implies a temporary halt to the decision-making process.

suspend judgment

Shifts focus from the decision itself to the act of judging, but carries a similar meaning.

reserve judgment

Similar to "suspend judgment", indicating a withholding of opinion.

FAQs

How can I use "hold decision" in a sentence?

You can use "hold decision" to indicate the postponement of a choice or resolution. For example, "The committee voted to hold decision on the new policy until next month's meeting."

What's a good alternative to "hold decision"?

Alternatives include "defer decision", "postpone decision", or "delay decision". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "holding decision" instead of "hold decision"?

While "holding decision" isn't grammatically incorrect, "hold decision" is the more common and accepted phrasing to indicate the act of postponing a decision.

What is the difference between "hold decision" and "table decision"?

"Hold decision" generally means to postpone a decision. "Table decision" is similar but often implies a more formal setting, like a meeting, where the decision is put aside for later discussion, perhaps indefinitely.