Synonyms for defer
dɪˈfɜrde·fer

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. defer

   To protract is to cause to occupy a longer time than is usual, expected, or desirable. We defer a negotiation which we are slow to enter upon; we protract a negotiation which we are slow to conclude; delay may be used of any stage in the proceedings; we may delay a person as well as an action, but defer and protract are not used of persons. Elongate is not used of actions or abstractions, but only of material objects or extension in space; protract is very rarely used of concrete objects or extension in space; we elongate a line, protract a discussion. Protract has usually an unfavorable sense, implying that the matter referred to is already unduly long, or would be so if longer continued; continue is neutral, applying equally to the desirable or the undesirable. Postpone implies a definite intention to resume, as defer also does, though less decidedly; both are often used with some definite limitation of time; as, to postpone till, until, or to a certain day or hour. One may defer, delay, or postpone a matter intelligently and for good reason; he procrastinates through indolence and irresolution. Compare HINDER.

   Synonyms:
   continue, delay, draw out, elongate, extend, lengthen, postpone, procrastinate, prolong, protract

   Antonyms:
   abbreviate, abridge, conclude, contract, curtail, hasten, hurry, limit, reduce, shorten

   Preposition:
   To protract a speech by verbosity, through an unreasonable time, to, till, or until a late hour.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. defer

   Synonyms:
   delay, postpone, waive, adjourn, prorogue, put off, retard, procrastinate, protract, hinder, prolong

   Antonyms:
   expedite, hasten, quicken, press, urge, hurry, overdrive, despatch

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. postpone, prorogue, hold over, put over, table, shelve, set back, defer, remit, put offverb

   hold back to a later time

   "let's postpone the exam"

   Synonyms:
   put back, put over, elude, circumvent, set back, turn off, confuse, sidestep, dishearten, remand, give in, remit, parry, dodge, bow, send back, tabulate, accede, flurry, prorogue, hedge, put off, evade, tabularise, table, tabularize, carry over, postpone, duck, slacken, shelve, hold over, disconcert, knock back, get across, fudge, submit, skirt

2. submit, bow, defer, accede, give inverb

   yield to another's wish or opinion

   "The government bowed to the military pressure"

   Synonyms:
   put over, set back, put forward, buckle under, crouch, pass on, relegate, put in, resign, take, bow, give in, state, subject, remit, acquiesce, reconcile, accede, prorogue, assent, knuckle under, put off, bend, render, table, present, yield, postpone, posit, shelve, enter, hold over, succumb, bow down, stoop, submit

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. deferverb

   Synonyms:
   postpone, delay, adjourn, procrastinate, put off, stave off, let lie over

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "defer":

   postpone, reporter, delay, adjourn, differ, postponement, refer

How to pronounce defer?

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use defer in a sentence?

1. Josh Koskoff:

   Our state's highest court has already ruled that the families deserve their day in court and we are confident that the U.S. Supreme Court will defer to that well-reasoned opinion.

2. Charles Caleb Colton:

   We may lay in a stock of pleasures, as we would lay in a stock of wine; but if we defer tasting them too long, we shall find that both are soured by age.

3. President Francois Hollande:

   The European Central Bank's decisions should not make us defer reforms, i consider that this decision (quantiative easing) by the ECB obliges us to be even bolder in our efforts to lift obstacles to growth and job creation.

4. Peter Chen:

   Murdoch will use his media vehicles to achieve his policy outcomes, politicians across both of the spectra have tended to defer to his interests when thinking about media policy.

5. Eric Adams:

   At the precinct level, someone comes in for a petty theft, we're at the policing level, you identify that they have a mental health issue, instead of locking them up -- let's defer prosecution, let's have a local community-based organization that deals with mental health illnesses handle it right at the precinct -- that's the coordination that we need, there's no reason to put someone( with) mental health illness in Rikers Island, Rikers Island's Rikers Island.