deferred
Americanadjective
-
postponed or delayed.
-
suspended or withheld for or until a certain time or event.
a deferred payment; deferred taxes.
-
classified as temporarily exempt from induction into military service.
adjective
-
withheld over a certain period; postponed
a deferred payment
-
(of shares) ranking behind other types of shares for dividend
Other Word Forms
- undeferred adjective
- well-deferred adjective
Etymology
Origin of deferred
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
Given Arista’s deferred revenue balance of $5.4 billion, the XPO strategy, and expected new large customer wins, revenue growth can exceed guidance for 25% in 2026 and 20% in 2027, the analyst says.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
A deferred repair can become a mortgage default risk if a homeowner can no longer meet a lender’s insurance requirements.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
However, Mosley deferred to individual militaries when challenged by the BBC on the risk of time-pressured commanders ordering their officers to take Maven's output as being rubber-stamped.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
If that time was missed, the prayer had to be deferred until the sun was beyond the horizon.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.