put off making decisions

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of a sentence 'put off making decisions' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation when someone delays or postpones making decisions. For example: "John was procrastinating and kept putting off making decisions about his future plans."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Some executives say uncertainty about the conflict's duration and economic effects is causing companies to put off making decisions to buy or lease.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Recognize that risk, and when possible, put off decision making until you can concentrate on the task at hand.

Forbes

The results of this comparison indicate that a type of adaptability likely to facilitate decision-making is "dependable dynamism"—the quality of assessment and decision-making processes that allows policymakers with ease to put off particular decisions for addressing in the future, with confidence that issues so put off will indeed be addressed later.

Global Environmental Change

Young people put off life decisions, delaying education, marriage, childbearing.

The New York Times

For decades, too many in Washington put off hard decisions.

Forbes

Still, Plyler put off the decision.

The New Yorker

He put off his decision.

The Washington Post

The judge put off a decision.

The New York Times

Don't put off your decision until the last minute.

WikiHow

Agreement is reached only by putting off difficult decisions indefinitely.

The Economist

Let's say your boss puts off decisions.

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When faced with complex choices, avoid using "put off making decisions" as a long-term strategy. Instead, break down the decision-making process into smaller, more manageable steps to prevent feeling overwhelmed.

Common error

Don't use "put off making decisions" as a default response to uncertainty. Ensure delays are intentional and part of a strategic approach to gather more information or consider alternatives, rather than a way to avoid responsibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "put off making decisions" functions as a verb phrase where 'put off' is a phrasal verb meaning to postpone or delay, and 'making decisions' is a gerund phrase acting as the object of the phrasal verb. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's correctly used to indicate a delay in decision-making.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

30%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "put off making decisions" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe the act of postponing choices. As Ludwig AI points out, it is appropriately used across various contexts to convey a temporary delay in the decision-making process. While generally neutral in tone, it's important to use this phrase strategically, balancing the need for careful consideration with the risk of prolonged indecision. Alternatives like "delay making decisions", "postpone making decisions" or "defer making decisions" offer similar meanings with slight variations in formality and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

delay making decisions

Replaces "put off" with "delay", indicating a postponement.

postpone making decisions

Substitutes "put off" with "postpone", conveying a similar meaning of deferment.

defer making decisions

Replaces "put off" with "defer", suggesting a more formal delay.

hold off on making decisions

Uses "hold off on" instead of "put off", implying a temporary suspension.

procrastinate on decisions

Emphasizes the act of procrastination rather than just delaying.

put decisions on hold

Changes the structure to focus on the decisions being put on hold.

table decisions

Uses "table" to mean postponing decisions for later consideration.

shelve decisions

Implies putting decisions aside, possibly indefinitely.

delay the decision-making process

Focuses on delaying the entire process rather than individual decisions.

avoid making decisions

Shifts the focus to avoiding the act of making decisions.

FAQs

How can I use "put off making decisions" in a sentence?

You can use "put off making decisions" to describe the action of postponing or delaying choices. For example, "Due to the overwhelming amount of information, they decided to "put off making decisions" until the next meeting".

What are some alternatives to "put off making decisions"?

Alternatives include "delay making decisions", "postpone making decisions", or "defer making decisions". The best choice depends on the specific context and level of formality you want to convey.

Is it ever a good idea to "put off making decisions"?

Yes, sometimes. If you lack crucial information or need more time to evaluate options, it can be wise to "put off making decisions". However, avoid prolonged delays that can lead to missed opportunities or negative consequences.

What's the difference between "put off making decisions" and "avoid making decisions"?

"Put off making decisions" implies a temporary delay, while "avoid making decisions" suggests a more deliberate attempt to not make a decision at all. The former is often a temporary measure, while the latter can be a longer-term strategy or a sign of indecisiveness.