defer implies a deliberate putting off to a later time.
deferred buying a car until spring
postpone implies an intentional deferring usually to a definite time.
the game is postponed until Saturday
suspend implies temporary stoppage with an added suggestion of waiting until some condition is satisfied.
business will be suspended while repairs are underway
stay often suggests the stopping or checking by an intervening agency or authority.
the governor stayed the execution
Example Sentences
The baseball game was postponed until tomorrow because of rain. we'll have to postpone a decision until we have all the information
Recent Examples on the WebHer breast cancer diagnoses forced her to postpone and cancel several tours. Brandon Griggs, CNN, 8 Aug. 2022 The organization may not have had the option to postpone or move the Florida games, in practical terms. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2022 Online pet products retailer Chewy had been expected as the warehouse tenant, but decided in the spring to postpone or cancel plans for leasing. Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 11 Aug. 2022 But even in those cases where activities cannot be truly eliminated, there's still the potential to postpone or deprioritize them. Mark Murphy, Forbes, 31 July 2022 Some organizations also decided to cancel or postpone gatherings or move them outside.Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2022 But when the pandemic hit in 2020, he was forced to postpone or refund dozens of reservations for guests from all over the world. Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 16 June 2022 China’s Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns have led to a shortage of a dye widely used in medical scans, prompting U.S. hospitals including the Mayo Clinic to ration supplies, postpone procedures or switch to less optimal imaging. Peter Loftus, WSJ, 17 May 2022 Four of the couples were able to walk down the aisle, while one couple unfortunately had to postpone due COVID. Shawniece Jackson And Jephte Pierre, PEOPLE.com, 21 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Latin postponere to place after, postpone, from post- + ponere to place — more at position