put off

phrasal verb transitive

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	put off
he/she/it	puts off
present participle	putting off
past tense	put off
past participle	put off

1
to make someone not want to do something, or to make someone not like someone or something
Lack of parking space was putting potential customers off.
Robert’s attitude towards women really puts me off.
put someone off someone/something:
I put him off the idea of going shopping with me.
put someone off doing something:
All this rain really puts you off going out after work.
Synonyms and related words
To have an effect on someone’s emotions or attitudes
influence
decide
lead to
2
to delay doing something, especially because you do not want to do it
I was trying to put off the moment when I would have to leave.
You can’t put the decision off any longer.
put off doing something:
He was glad to have an excuse to put off telling her the news.
Synonyms and related words
To delay action, wait or hesitate
delay
wait
hesitate
3
to change the time or date of something so that it happens later than originally planned, especially because of a problem
They had to put the wedding off because the bride’s mother had an accident.
put off doing something:
I’ll put off going to Scotland until you’re well enough to look after yourself again.
Synonyms and related words
To choose, or to change the timing of something
fix
time
schedule
4
to tell someone that you cannot see them or do something until a later time
We’ll have to put George off if your mother’s coming on Thursday.
Synonyms and related words
To delay someone, or to make someone wait
delay
set back
hold up
5
to prevent someone from concentrating on something so that they have difficulty doing it
Stop laughing – you’ll put her off.
Synonyms and related words
To make someone unable to concentrate or think clearly
discombobulate
confuse
distract
1. 5a
  put someone off their stride/stroketo stop someone from thinking clearly
  He was determined not to be put off his stroke by her presence.
  Synonyms and related words
  To make someone unable to concentrate or think clearly
  discombobulate
  confuse
  distract
6
to switch off a machine or piece of equipment
Please put off the television and do your homework.
Synonyms and related words
To make a machine or piece of machinery stop working
break
brick
cannibalise
7
to stop a car, bus etc and let someone get out of it
I’ll put you off by the bus stop.
Synonyms and related words
Booking on and travelling by transport
aboard
afloat
aisle seat