postpone

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'postpone' is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that an event or activity has been delayed or rescheduled to a later time. For example: "The meeting has been postponed until next week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He warned Kennedy to prioritise ruthlessly, to "postpone what is postponable" and to set up working groups right away with a "bird-dog" in charge to keep them focused.

The Economist

His last trip was in September 2013 and due to "urgent family reasons" was he forced to postpone a trip in September this year.

The Guardian

But while the Palestinians have stuck to their agreement to postpone pressing their case for statehood at international bodies, Israel has infringed its unannounced de facto moratorium on settlement expansion with recent moves on the retroactive legalisation of four unauthorised outposts and the construction of 300 houses at Beit El.

The Guardian

Some £108m of the cash is to underwrite the new "deferred payment" scheme, by which councils will enable homeowners to postpone payment of long-term care costs until after their death, and so avoid selling their properties during their lifetime.

The Guardian

Real power is power too potent, too indispensable, to pause or freeze or postpone.

The Guardian

Analysts have said the ageing Karimov is trying to postpone a power transition that has recently been complicated by an ugly family feud.

The Guardian

Sundance Selects has the option to postpone the US release of Blue for a year in the hope that it will be shortlisted for the 2015 Oscars, but it is unlikely to want to wait that long.

The Guardian - Film

Hence the three-possibly-four-way split looming: votes for and against (Charles Kennedy and Ming Campbell), abstentions, and a vote to postpone the vote, with Clegg making an enforced virtue of self-parodic diversity.

The Guardian - Opinion

Moore said: "A high number of escalation beds [emergency overflow beds] are in use and we are, unfortunately, having to postpone some elective operations.

The Guardian

In an interview this week on the US public radio show Marketplace, he said: "I saw a recent survey in the US that 75% of the CEOs were willing to postpone the right decisions if it would affect their quarterly reporting, and that cannot be healthy for the long-term of the business.

The Guardian

The worst outcome would be for the government to postpone new anti-corruption legislation in the face of other priorities – and therefore potentially for several years if an election intervenes.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "postpone" when you want to formally or officially delay an event or decision to a later time. It's suitable for both formal and neutral contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "postpone" in very informal settings where simpler alternatives like "put off" or "delay" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "postpone" is as a transitive verb, indicating the act of delaying or deferring something to a later time. Ludwig provides various examples showcasing its use in different contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Formal & Business

26%

Science

26%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "postpone" is a versatile transitive verb used to indicate the act of delaying something to a later time. As highlighted by Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and frequently appears in news, business, and scientific contexts. While generally neutral to formal in register, consider using simpler alternatives like "put off" in informal settings. Remember to use "postpone" when you want to formally communicate a delay. Be aware of the situations where simpler alternatives may be more suitable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

delay

A general term for causing something to happen later than expected.

defer

Formal synonym, implying a respectful or strategic delay.

reschedule

Implies setting a new, later time for something that was previously scheduled.

put off

Informal and common way to express delaying an event or task.

put on hold

To pause or delay something temporarily.

hold off on

Suggests intentionally waiting before taking action or making a decision.

adjourn

Specifically refers to postponing a meeting or formal session.

suspend

Indicates a temporary interruption or cessation of something.

shelve

Means to put aside or defer something, often indefinitely.

table

To defer or postpone consideration of a bill, amendment, etc.

FAQs

How can I use "postpone" in a sentence?

You can use "postpone" to indicate that an event or activity has been delayed. For example, "The meeting has been postponed until next week".

What can I say instead of "postpone"?

Alternatives include "delay", "defer", or "put off", depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "postpone" and "cancel"?

"Postpone" means to delay something to a later time, while "cancel" means to decide that an arranged event will not take place.

When is it appropriate to use "postpone" in writing?

"Postpone" is appropriate in formal and neutral writing when you need to clearly communicate that something has been delayed, such as a "meeting is postponed" or "decision is postponed".