put off — 2 meanings

One phrase, 2 different jobs. Tap a meaning to jump to it — then lock each one in by saying it out loud.

phrasal verb2 meanings

1 postponeto delay doing something until a later time.
2 discourage or repelto make someone not want to do something, or to lose interest in it.

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postpone

B1put off sthMost common

to delay doing something until a later time.

I had to put off my dentist appointment because I was too busy.

A: Did you finish your assignment?
B: No, I put it off until tomorrow.

If I have a lot of tasks, I sometimes put off the less important ones to focus on urgent work.

Common mistake

✗Don't put off to do your homework.

✓Don't put off doing your homework.

'Put off' + -ing, not a to-infinitive. With a pronoun: 'put it off'.

Tell it apart

I keep putting off the dentist.

postponing

The smell put me off my food.

made me lose interest/appetite

Use 'put off' when you want to talk about changing something to a later time, not cancelling it.Do not confuse with 'call off', which means to cancel.

Often paired with

put off + task

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discourage or repel

B2put off sth

to make someone not want to do something, or to lose interest in it.

The smell of smoke really put me off eating in that restaurant.

A: Are you going to join the gym?
B: I was, but the high fees put me off.

Some people are put off by the idea of public speaking because they feel nervous in front of an audience.

Common mistake

✗The long queue put off me.

✓The long queue put me off.

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'put me off'.

Tell it apart

The smell put me off my dinner.

made me lose interest/appetite

We put off dinner until 9.

postponed it

Use 'put off' when something makes you or someone else not want to do something anymore.Not the same as 'put out', which means to extinguish something like a fire.

Often paired with

put + someone + off

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postpone discourage or repel