put off
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/pʊt ˈɒf/
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To move something later, delay a person, break concentration, discourage interest, or in British transport use let a passenger get out.
Examples
That first lesson almost put me off driving.
Please stop talking because you are putting me off.
Background music puts me off when I am reading.
He was put off at a small village on the route.
Do not be put off by the old paint because the house is solid.
Similar words
drop off
disincline
let out
defer
delay
delay
disturb
set down
deter
repel
Meanings
Examples
We had to put off the meeting until next week.
She keeps putting off making a decision.
The launch was put off after the test failed.
Do not put off booking the tickets for too long.
They put the wedding off until September.
I have put off going to the dentist again.
The board put off the vote until more figures arrived.
Similar words
postpone
delay
defer
reschedule
adjourn
shelve
table
Examples
The reporter wanted a comment, but the office put him off until Monday.
I do not want to see them tonight, so I might put them off.
She put off the caller with a promise to ring back.
He kept putting her off instead of answering the question.
The company put off customers who asked for refunds.
Do not put me off with another vague excuse.
They tried to put the landlord off for a few more days.
Examples
Please stop talking because you are putting me off.
The sudden shout put her off her stride.
Nothing can put him off once he starts working.
The flash from the camera put off the goalkeeper.
Background music puts me off when I am reading.
Do not put off the speaker with side comments.
The mistake put her off for the rest of the performance.
Similar words
distract
disturb
unsettle
sidetrack
divert
Examples
The smell put me off the soup.
Do not be put off by the old paint because the house is solid.
Her rude answer put him off asking again.
The long hours put off many applicants.
That first lesson almost put me off driving.
The price may put off some customers.
A single bad review should not put you off the film.
Similar words
discourage
deter
repel
disgust
alienate
disincline
Examples
The bus driver put me off outside the station.
Could you put us off at the next stop?
The coach put off the hikers near the trail.
She asked the driver to put her off by the bridge.
The minibus put them off at the hotel entrance.
He was put off at a small village on the route.
The driver refused to put off passengers between stops.
FAQ
Put off can mean postpone something, delay a person, distract someone, make someone dislike something, or let a passenger out in British English.
Is put off the same as postpone?
Put off means postpone when the object is an event, task, or decision, as in put off the meeting.
Can put off mean make someone dislike something?
Yes. A bad smell, rude attitude, or poor experience can put someone off a thing, person, or activity.
What is the correct order with pronouns in put off?
Put the pronoun in the middle: put it off, put me off, and put them off.
What is the past tense of put off?
The past tense is put off, because put does not change form.
Can put off mean distract?
Yes. Noise, laughter, or pressure can put someone off when they are trying to concentrate.
What are synonyms of put off?
For postponing, use postpone, delay, or defer. For dislike, use discourage, deter, or repel.
Is put off formal or informal?
Put off is neutral and common in everyday English, while defer or postpone can sound more formal.
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