Definitions
- Referring to postponing or delaying something to a later time or date. - Talking about avoiding or procrastinating a task or responsibility. - Describing the act of rescheduling or deferring an event or meeting.
- Referring to the act of making something happen later than planned or expected. - Talking about the situation where something is held up or slowed down. - Describing the act of pausing or holding off on something for a period of time.
List of Similarities
- 1Both involve pushing back or extending a timeline.
- 2Both can cause inconvenience or frustration.
- 3Both refer to a situation where something is not happening as planned.
- 4Both can be used as verbs or nouns.
What is the difference?
- 1Cause: Put off implies a deliberate decision to postpone something, while delay can be caused by external factors beyond one's control.
- 2Duration: Put off suggests a longer postponement, while delay can be short or long-term.
- 3Responsibility: Put off implies personal responsibility for the delay, while delay may not necessarily be attributed to a specific person or action.
- 4Intention: Put off can imply avoidance or procrastination, while delay may not necessarily have negative connotations.
- 5Usage: Put off is more commonly used in informal contexts, while delay can be used in both formal and informal settings.
Remember this!
Put off and delay are synonyms that refer to the act of postponing or extending a timeline. However, the difference between put off and delay lies in the cause, duration, responsibility, intention, and usage. Put off implies a deliberate decision to postpone something, often with negative connotations of avoidance or procrastination. On the other hand, delay can be caused by external factors beyond one's control, and may not necessarily have negative connotations.
