deferred

American  

[dih-furd] / dɪˈfɜrd /

adjective

1. postponed or delayed.

2. suspended or withheld for or until a certain time or event.

   a deferred payment; deferred taxes.

3. classified as temporarily exempt from induction into military service.

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deferred British  

/ dɪˈfɜːd /

adjective

1. withheld over a certain period; postponed

   a deferred payment

2. (of shares) ranking behind other types of shares for dividend

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Other Word Forms

• undeferred adjective
• well-deferred adjective

Etymology

Origin of deferred

First recorded in 1645–55; defer ¹ + -ed ²

Example Sentences

The county's medical examiner said the body was "severely decomposed" and deferred on making a ruling on how she died pending the death investigation.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Winter weather also caused some business in the company’s warehousing segment to be deferred until the second and third quarters, resulting in a 5 cent per share impact.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

Return on tangible common equity, or ROTCE, has become a standard measurement of earnings power for banks, with the denominator excluding intangible assets, such as deferred tax assets, loan-servicing rights and goodwill.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

By comparison, $125 million was “a bargain for the county,” said Govan, “Because they had the liability of ownership of those buildings and the deferred maintenance was extraordinary.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

The rumors were in fact true, though on all constitutional questions Jefferson deferred to Madison’s superior judgment, so he could accept the offer to become America's first secretary of state without political reservations.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Related Words

• delayed
• negotiated
• postponed