postponing

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'postponing' is both correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express the idea of delaying or deferring something. For example, "The meeting has been postponed until next week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In Italy, on the other hand, the constitutional court retains considerable power to reign in Berlusconi (and is in fact about to decide whether a government law postponing the Cavaliere's trials until he leaves office is permissible or not).

The Guardian - Opinion

He said the families were upset that it had taken more than a month for Jonathan to schedule a visit to Chibok, but that promising to come and then postponing without an explanation gave them even less faith in the authorities.

The Guardian

Critics fear that, having so far failed to find a successor, Mr Karzai may engineer a political crisis to provide an excuse for postponing the vote.Mr Karzai should stop playing games.

The Economist

The government looked clumsy postponing the December summit on the basis of its fear of Ebola, though that one decision may not prove too costly.

The Economist

Some 171 appeals have been launched, postponing the formation of a new government.

The Economist

Add international inspections to that mix, plus curbs on other uranium enrichment, and optimists think an imperfect interim deal could take shape, capable of postponing a larger nuclear stand-off.

The Economist

There is still time for NATO to redeem itself, but it is running out fast.With only a third of the voters registered, with warlords and drug barons ruling the roost in much of the country, and with ominous "night letters" threatening anyone who votes with death, there is a case for postponing September's election.

The Economist

The more measured approach of José Sócrates, Portugal's prime minister, involved limiting wage cuts to politicians and senior civil servants, increasing value-added tax and postponing big infrastructure projects.

The Economist

Firms that promise to pay bonuses are postponing them, in order to delay accounting for them until the next financial year.

The Economist

Instead, they will put that off for a few more years, thus postponing any productivity gains a new system might bring.Should January 1st 2000 bring civilisation crashing to a halt, with aeroplanes falling from the sky and anarchy in the streets, such concerns will not be uppermost.

The Economist

But postponing it will leave an even more severe financial crisis looming just over the horizon.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "postponing", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being delayed and, if relevant, the reason for the delay.

Common error

Avoid using "postponing" when the intention is complete cancellation rather than a temporary delay; use "canceling" or "abandoning" instead.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "postponing" is as a present participle, acting as a verb form that can function within a continuous verb tense or as a gerund, effectively turning the verb into a noun. Ludwig AI shows its wide use across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "postponing" functions as a present participle, frequently employed in News & Media and Formal & Business settings to denote a deliberate delay of an event or decision. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically sound and widely applicable. When using "postponing", be precise about what you are delaying and why, and consider alternatives such as "delaying" or "deferring" depending on the desired tone. Avoid using "postponing" when complete cancellation is intended. By understanding these nuances, you can effectively communicate the act of delaying while maintaining clarity and professionalism.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

deferring

Indicates a temporary delay; more formal than "postponing".

delaying

A general term for causing something to happen at a later time; closely related to "postponing".

putting off

An informal way of saying "postponing".

deferring until later

More explicit in stating the intention to postpone to a specific later time.

suspending

Indicates a temporary interruption or cessation.

holding off on

Implies waiting before taking action.

putting on hold

Similar to suspending, suggesting a temporary pause.

shelving

Suggests putting something aside, potentially indefinitely.

rescheduling

Specifically refers to changing the time of an event to a later date.

adjourning

Typically used in formal contexts like meetings or legal proceedings.

FAQs

How to use "postponing" in a sentence?

You can use "postponing" to indicate that something is being delayed to a later time. For example, "The company is "postponing the decision" until the next quarter".

What can I say instead of "postponing"?

You can use alternatives like "delaying", "deferring", or "putting off" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "postponing" or "delaying"?

Both "postponing" and "delaying" are correct and often interchangeable. "Postponing" might suggest a more formal or planned delay, while "delaying" is a more general term.

What's the difference between "postponing" and "suspending"?

"Postponing" implies a delay to a specific later time or date. "Suspending", on the other hand, indicates a temporary interruption, often without a definite resumption date.