When it comes to putting things off, we all have our own ways of saying it. But, what if we told you there’s a whole new set of slang terms for postpone that you might not have heard of yet? Get ready to expand your vocabulary and stay in the loop with our list of the trendiest ways to delay things in style. Don’t miss out on being ahead of the curve when it comes to the latest lingo for procrastination!
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1. Delay
This term refers to the act of postponing or putting off something to a later time or date. It implies that the original schedule or plan is being temporarily suspended or postponed.
- For example, “We need to delay the project deadline by a week.”
- In a meeting, someone might say, “Let’s delay the decision until we have more information.”
- A teacher might tell their students, “The test has been delayed until next week.”
2. Push back
This slang phrase means to move an event or task to a later time or date. It implies that the original schedule is being adjusted and pushed further into the future.
- For instance, “We need to push back the meeting to next Thursday.”
- In a conversation, someone might say, “Let’s push back the deadline by a few days.”
- A project manager might inform their team, “Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have to push back the launch date.”
3. Hold off
This slang phrase means to postpone or delay something for a temporary period of time. It suggests that the action or decision is being temporarily suspended or put on hold.
- For example, “Let’s hold off on making a decision until we have more information.”
- In a discussion, someone might say, “We should hold off on starting the new project until next month.”
- A supervisor might instruct their employees, “Hold off on contacting the client until I give you further instructions.”
4. Put on ice
This slang phrase means to temporarily postpone or delay something. It implies that the action or plan is being put on hold or suspended for a period of time.
- For instance, “We need to put the project on ice until we secure more funding.”
- In a conversation, someone might say, “Let’s put the vacation plans on ice until next year.”
- A manager might inform their team, “Due to budget constraints, we have to put the new initiative on ice for now.”
5. Shelve
This slang term means to postpone or delay something, often by putting it aside or setting it aside for a later time or date. It suggests that the action or plan is being temporarily set aside or postponed.
- For example, “We’ll have to shelve the idea for now and revisit it later.”
- In a discussion, someone might say, “Let’s shelve the project until we have more resources.”
- A team leader might inform their members, “We need to shelve the proposal until we gather more data.”
6. Table
When you “table” something, you postpone or delay it for a later time. This term is often used in meetings or discussions to indicate that a topic or decision will be addressed at a later date.
- For example, “Let’s table the discussion on budget cuts until next week.”
- In a project management context, someone might say, “We need to table the implementation of this feature until we have more resources.”
- A team leader might suggest, “Instead of making a decision now, let’s table this issue and revisit it in our next meeting.”
7. Reschedule
When you “reschedule” something, you change the planned time or date to a later time. This term is commonly used when plans need to be adjusted or postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.
- For instance, “I need to reschedule our meeting to tomorrow afternoon.”
- If a concert is canceled due to bad weather, the event organizers might reschedule it for a later date.
- A person might say, “I have a conflict on Friday, can we reschedule our dinner to next week?”
8. Defer
When you “defer” something, you choose to delay or postpone it. This term is often used in formal or professional settings to indicate a temporary delay in action or decision-making.
- For example, “Let’s defer the decision on this matter until we have more information.”
- In a university context, a student might choose to defer their enrollment for a semester.
- A manager might say, “We will defer the project launch until next month to allow for further testing.”
9. Procrastinate
When you “procrastinate,” you intentionally delay or postpone a task or action. This term is often used to describe the act of putting off something that needs to be done, typically out of laziness or a lack of motivation.
- For instance, “I always procrastinate when it comes to doing my taxes.”
- A student might say, “I tend to procrastinate on studying until the night before the exam.”
- A person might admit, “I know I need to start exercising, but I keep procrastinating and making excuses.”
10. Punt
When you “punt” something, you choose to delay or postpone making a decision. This term is often used in informal or sports contexts to indicate a temporary delay in taking action or making a choice.
- For example, “Let’s punt on this issue and revisit it at our next meeting.”
- In a football game, a team might choose to punt the ball instead of making a risky play.
- A person might say, “I’m not sure what to do, so I’ll just punt and think about it later.”
11. Temporarily suspend
This phrase means to delay or pause something for a short period of time. It suggests that the activity or process will be resumed at a later time.
- For example, “We need to temporarily suspend the project until we receive further instructions.”
- In a business meeting, someone might suggest, “Let’s temporarily suspend this discussion and move on to the next agenda item.”
- A teacher might say to a student, “I’m going to temporarily suspend your participation in the class until you improve your behavior.”